I have 5 bantam leghorns about 8 or 9 months old. I've been noticing more and more feathers on the ground in their pin and at first thought one or so would be molting but from what I've read they look like they are going bald when the molt and none of them look like that. I was wandering if the weather, being so hot, makes them shed a few feathers. Also, my wife and I have noticed they seem to have grown a bit since we got them. I don't know when chickens stop growing or anything but do they lose feathers when they grow? Thanks P.S And is there a list or a website that gives what behavior a chicken does and what they mean?
They do molt a bit as they grow. Sometimes more than a bit. They seem to have a mini molt starting around 5 months and lose feathers here and there till they're grown. As for a list, I don't know of one but you can ask here what certain behaviors mean.
How long does it take them to become full grown and when they are doing that "mini" molt is their egg production lessoned just like a normal molt? As for the behavior patterns I was just wandering what things like them hiking their leg and bowing meant, clucking at me when I come around them, running from one end of the chicken coop to the other end like a racer for no apparent reason etc. I saw there was an awesome post on chicken poop with pictures and explainations so I just figured there would be something similar. Thanks again.
I agree there are different degrees of molting. During their first 6 months they will molt several times starting with loosing their downy feathers and getting the adult feathers. (Wing feathers come in first.) Some will molt more noticeable than others. After their first year then usually once a year. Sometimes they quit laying and sometimes you may get an egg now and then when they are in a mini molt. I don't know of a website that gives behaviors. I think all chickens are different. I can tell which one of my roosters is crowing by the crow. They all have a different crow. They are pretty much full grown in 6 months but may fill out a little after that. When my birds are younger they are like road runners and zoom all around too for no apparent reason. Good luck and have fun!!!
