My chickens feathers are really worn out and they won't start molting.

[alex5chickens]

I have 4 Barred Rocks and all 4 are in their second fall. (Their birthday was April 2018.) 2 of them had partial molts last winter and their feathers are in great shape, but 1 hen's (my best layer) feathers are in a really bad condition since she's had them for over a year now. Her feathers are broken and tattered. I thought she would molt this fall, since it's her second fall and second year of production. But she just keeps on laying even though her feathers are worn out. Will she molt this winter? I need help since I've never experienced a full molt from my flock before. Thanks everyone!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Where are you located?
Do you have a light in the coop? If so, turn it off.
What are the windows like in the coop (size and direction they face)? When do you let them out in the morning?

 

[dawg53]

Give it time. Winter isnt here yet.

 

[alex5chickens]

Where are you located?
Do you have a light in the coop? If so, turn it off.
What are the windows like in the coop (size and direction they face)? When do you let them out in the morning?

Wisconsin, and I don't have a light in my coop, I don't believe in using them for egg production. And their main living space is a chicken tractor covered in greenhouse plastic so their whole living area is basically one big window. Here's a pic of the tractor...

 

[alex5chickens]

Give it time. Winter isnt here yet.

Ok thanks!

 

[Peepsi]

I have 4 Barred Rocks and all 4 are in their second fall. (Their birthday was April 2018.) 2 of them had partial molts last winter and their feathers are in great shape, but 1 hen's (my best layer) feathers are in a really bad condition since she's had them for over a year now. Her feathers are broken and tattered. I thought she would molt this fall, since it's her second fall and second year of production. But she just keeps on laying even though her feathers are worn out. Will she molt this winter? I need help since I've never experienced a full molt from my flock before. Thanks everyone!

You have really good chickens there. Desirable layers molt late in the season, and when they do molt, they should molt fast. I've heard the saying before "Good layers' feathers are broken and worn out. Poor layers' feathers are sleek and shiny, more like show girls than working gals." - Gail Damerow

So yeah, congrats on your hard-working gals!

 

[alex5chickens]

You have really good chickens there. Desirable layers molt late in the season, and when they do molt, they should molt fast. I've heard the saying before "Good layers' feathers are broken and worn out. Poor layers' feathers are sleek and shiny, more like show girls than working gals." - Gail Damerow

So yeah, congrats on your hard-working gals!

Ok thanks, I think I've heard something similar to this before. Thank you for letting me know what's going on!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I like your housing for ventilation but I have a recommendation for if you want to kick start molt. Get some shade cloth and cover it to block out light. It will still breathe but a dramatic lowering in daily light should do the trick. Just give them about 6 hours of light per day. The 90% shade cloth in the following link works pretty well.
https://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/search?searchQuery=shade cloth

I've done that to induce molt in a flock earlier in the year.
Reducing day length is how commercial houses force molt the entire barn. They also limit food to further stress the birds but I don't do that. I've found that simply shortening the daily light period is sufficient.

 

[alex5chickens]

I like your housing for ventilation but I have a recommendation for if you want to kick start molt. Get some shade cloth and cover it to block out light. It will still breathe but a dramatic lowering in daily light should do the trick. Just give them about 6 hours of light per day. The 90% shade cloth in the following link works pretty well.
https://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/search?searchQuery=shade cloth

I've done that to induce molt in a flock earlier in the year.
Reducing day length is how commercial houses force molt the entire barn. They also limit food to further stress the birds but I don't do that. I've found that simply shortening the daily light period is sufficient.

Ok I think I'll wait for winter to do that naturally. Thanks