One out of Four Molting

[BeccaSmith]

I have one out of four hens molting. They are all SLW and bought last April 2011. I would think they would all molt around the same time since they were all born the same day, but that is just my thinking. I am just hoping it isn't a sign that something is wrong that just the one is molting. Do I need to be concerned?

 

[tec27]

Your hen is molting now? its kinda late for the molt. They usually molt in fall, right when the number of hours of daylight is significantly reduced. Yours can be an exception though. Its definitely normal for one to molt and not another one. It all depends on the chicken.

 

[BeccaSmith]

I thought the timing was odd, but she looks as if she has feathers feeling in around the face and she is loosing feathers in the rear area and her comb is shrunk looking. I've noticed a few feathers here and there on the floor of the coop over the last couple of weeks but figured if it was a molt there would be more feathers I guess. My husband had to point it out to me, I usually only see them at night when we go to collect the eggs and put one of the hens on the roost for the night, every night. Usually my husband takes care of the chickens so I could go for days during the week without seeing them and that is why I probably didn't notice, although I was just out this weekend and tonight!

 

[tec27]

Check for mites. If there are no mites on the feathers then i wouldn't worry about it. But if one had mites, they all would probably have mites. Thus they would all be losing feathers.