Moulting VS chick feather loss?

[undergroundchickens]

I am new to chickens so I have a stupid question to ask. When I read the "Chickens for Dummies" book it mentioned a yearly moult. I figured this meant that chickens only loose feathers once a year and then grow them back and keep them for the next moulting period. If this is true then how come my chickens that are 13 weeks old are loosing so many feathers? Is this just a chick thing? Are they supposed to be loosing and regrowing feathers so much? Will it stop when they reach maturity and then only moult once a year? Thank you for your help.

 

[snowflake]

some times they molt more then once a year,I think, they pick on each other and loose feathers,if you have a rooster they scratch off feathers when mounting the hen, and yours could still be getting there adult feathers. Have fun!

I love chickens!

 

[undergroundchickens]

So it is a chick to adult feathers thing. I wasn't sure but figured it might be...just didn't expect it I guess.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

My oldest chicks are about the same age; they are loosing lots of feathers at this time and the youngest have just begun. We are in the 90's and 100's so was wondering if heat had anything to do with it.