Moulting time

[V Chic Chick]

Am I going mad, or do my chickens always seem to moult later than everyone elses?

Molly, my standard black Orpington has been in a heavy moult since about Hallowe'en (no, it's not stress related). Seriously, I have never had a chicken moult this badly before - her breast is bare, apart from a few pin feathers, and the same goes for half her neck, and her "wingpits" (under her wings). The rest of her is just looking quite bedraggled. It looks like a feather pillow exploded in both the coop and the run.

It's just starting to get down to about 4C (39F) and it does sort of worry me. She has taken to sleeping in the nestbox rather than perching, presumably because of the lack of feathers on her breast.

Do mine moult later than everyone elses? Or is it just my imagination? If so, what can I do?

They are fed on ad-lib layers pellets, with grit, and a bit of grain every few days. During the moult, they get a scrambled egg between the two of them twice a week.

TIA

 

[speckledhen]

You should see my Lexie! She has no feathers on her entire chest or back or butt, just the shafts of some that are trying to start coming in. She already was wearing a saddle because she's Hawkeye's favorite girl and now, it may be the only thing keeping her warm! This has been going on for a couple of months now and no, she doesn't have mites/lice and never has had. Poor baby! I know what you're going through with your girl. My Buff Orp just dumped most of her feathers, too and is running around bare-butted. This morning it was 23 degrees F.