Moulting questions

[buckaroo's wife]

Is there a certain time of year that moulting begins? One of my ameraucanas and slowed down on egg-laying, and her last few eggs are much lighter in color than they were. I'm assuming moulting is about to begin....will her eggs return to their original color when she is done? And will it always happen at the same time of year? Thanks!

 

[CMV]

Molting happens around late summer and into fall, although mini-molts can happen any time of the year. Mini-molts usually happen on an "as needed" basis to repair feather losses/damage. The egg color of your girl may be fading due to age an not as a part of the molting process. Eggs get paler from your hens as the hens age. My old ladies used to lay eggs that were deep tan, but now at 3 years old the eggs have lightened to an off-white. They will still occasionally lay a pale tan egg, but it has never returned to the rich color it was when they were young.

Good luck.