Normal for hen to molt after hatching chicks? Feathers everywhere!

[Mtn Laurel]

I have a buff orpington hen that's about 14 months old. Two weeks ago she hatched out a chick. She was a great broody and is a wonderful mom.

Just went out to the coop and it looks like a feather pillow has exploded in there! As the mom and chick are separated from the rest of the flock, I know they're all hers. I noticed her preening yesterday and quite a few feathers were falling out then, but nothing of this magnitude. I've not seen this many feathers at one time when my other birds molted.

I've looked at the shaft of feathers for mites and/or lice and haven't seen anything. She's got sand in her run for dust bathing. I'm wondering if this is just normal behavior after the chicks have hatched. This is our first time with broody and chicks so I'm clueless.

Thanks for any info!

 

[centrarchid]

I associate such rapid loss of feathers with stress. Brooding qualifies as a stressor. So does heat. It is a little early for proper molt and such feather loss is usually less pronounced. This round not much can be changed but with broody hens I increase protein in the diet. This seems to prevent the explosive featherloss.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I associate such rapid loss of feathers with stress. Brooding qualifies as a stressor. So does heat. It is a little early for proper molt and such feather loss is usually less pronounced. This round not much can be changed but with broody hens I increase protein in the diet. This seems to prevent the explosive featherloss.

Thanks for your response. She is a large gal with a huge amount of feathers and it has been warm. Today was high 80's and very humid. Mom and chick are in a separate coop and they have a place to take a dust bath, cool water, shade, and good air flow for these hot days. I've got a backup cage ready for them in the house should she show signs of heat distress.

She is constantly preening these last few days which made me wonder about parasites but I don't see any. I have been feeding both Mom and baby chick starter which - as I understand it - is higher in protein than regular layer feed. In addition, I've been giving them a boiled egg every day. She still isn't eating as I'd expect. She minces every bite and gives it to the chick first and I rarely see her eat for herself as she used to.

She has never molted before so possibly a combination of factors is contributing to this fast feather loss. However, she has so many feathers the loss isn't noticeable.

I totally understand where she's coming from, though. I remember taking the scissors to my own hair after my first was born. Being a new mom is stressful! ^_^

 

[centrarchid]

With some of the larger fluffy breeds the molt may e inclined to be more intense. Monitor her weight. If she does not decline all is well.


The not eating is normal. She eats enough for maintenance but gives chicks first dibs as you already noted. After about 2 weeks when chick get more mobility she will increase feed intake but her pre-brooding weight will not be realized until after chick weaned. Weaned means she quits clucking although she will still hang with it day and nice unless laying another egg.