Not a molt, but a ?????

[gritsar]

My flock is two years old this month. They all went thru their heavy molt in the 17 to 19 month range.
Now my coop is once again full of feathers, but it's not their top feathers; it's the soft, small downy feathers from the undercoat.
DH supposes that since my chicken live a basically natural life, i.e., no heat/light added, they are simply losing their winter coats in preparation for the hot summer ahead; much like the dogs and cats are.
They don't have mites or lice.
What is going on?

 

[Imp]

Grit,

Don't know what's going on with yours, but I noticed today that my GLW is mostly gray haired, with new feather shafts covering her head. Maybe mini molt.

Imp

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I wonder Impy. Seems strange that they would be going through another molt just six months after the last one, but my egg count is down, so.....

 

[Imp]

I've never had mine look ragged when they molt. And have never had two molt at the same time.

Imp- thinkin molt is an urban legend

 

[kimb]

Quote:
I have ... RIR look the worst! but my EE looked pretty mangy last fall ... ... !



Right now I have a 9 month old blue cochin loosing her "down" feathers ... I'd guess they're just extra winter feathers ?

I was under the impression that they molt 1x a year (but some are worse than others for sure) ...

don't really know

 

[Neilette]

Wild birds molt twice a year, for summer and winter. The molt is triggered by changes in the light cycle -- Birds have a "third eye" organ which is sensitive to light and regulated hormones based on its exposure to daylight. This is how they know when to migrate, molt, lay, etc. based on the seasons. It's also why birds are famously "sensitive to light cycles" (Also, they can see light better than we can, so many "old fashioned" florescent lights, to them, strobe maddeningly). Even the SLIGHTEST change in the day/night cycle is detectable by the "third eye" organ. By messing with lighting you can trigger molts, including excessively prolonging them. If the lighting is COMPLETELY consistent year-round, birds will molt once or more per year just to "clean house". Maybe there is a way to trigger a quick full molt? I dunno. Worth looking into.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's very interesting information, thank you.
The thing is, the amount of light my birds get is dependant on the season, since I don't add light. So it makes sense that they would molt as the wild birds do.
Kimb, glad to know my birds aren't the only ones losing their winter down.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't know if this is the same, but my 14 week old Ameraucana's have been losing feathers also. They are too young to molt, but I've noticed more feathers in the coop lately.

So I dunno.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That would be getting their adult plumage. Happened to mine too.