Questions about Molting, Feather Picking and Feather Regrowth

[ForFlocksSake]

Hello BYC Friends!

So we had a feather picker In the flock. She was really targeting my RIR (poor thing was completely bald and at the base of her tail and the skin was so irritated for a while) but also started going for my Easter Egger at the side of her tail base and my BR right below her vent. They all had very red bald spots without any feather growth. I witnessed it happen enough times and eventually removed the bully for the health and safety of my flock. She was chasing and cornering these chickens to peck at them and I had enough. Also, just in case it comes up, they're on 20% protein feed, plenty of space in the coop and run and I offer lots of activity and enrichment for them. She just had a bad habit.

Anyway, within a few days of her removal I noticed new feather growth on all the injured birds. This made me question for minute if they were actually being plucked or if they were molting. However, my birds aren't even a year old yet (they're 9 months) and I read they won't molt before 18 months. Also my RIR was BALD at the base of her tail for quite some time, and google says molting wil have regrowth at the same time. Now I am totally confused because I was under the assumption they wouldn't regrow feathers until their first molt. Do I have it wrong? will they regrow feathers after they were plucked?

 

[sourland]

Yes, they will regrow feathers after they have been plucked. They try to regrow them during the process, but the feather plucker continues to remove them. Monitor closely to assure that another bird does not take up this bad habit.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Yes, they will regrow feathers after they have been plucked. They try to regrow them during the process, but the feather plucker continues to remove them. Monitor closely to assure that another bird does not take up this bad habit.

Wow. Thank you! I had no idea. Why did I think they wouldn’t grow back immediately?

I’ve got my eye on one other bird. I saw her join in with the feather picker a few times in the past but haven’t seen her do it on her own. Hopefully she doesn’t start on her own now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is a pretty good article on molting and feather loss. It might help clear up some confusion.

MF2308 Molting and Other causes of Feather Loss in Small Poultry Flocks (ksu.edu)

If an entire feather is lost they generally grow a replacement fairly soon. But if just a tiny sliver of the feather shaft is left they will not regrow that feather until they molt.

I see that nonsense about them not molting for 18 months on here occasionally, it's misinformation. Oh, it can happen. If they are hatched in the spring, start laying in the fall, and lay through the winter, they probably won't molt for about 18 months. But not all chickens that hatch in the spring skip the molt their first fall/winter. They might molt when the days start getting shorter their first fall. Not all are hatched in the spring.

Age is not what causes the molt. The days getting shorter and nights getting longer is one big reason for them molting. But there are other things that can cause a molt, typically stress of some type. Going without water for a few days, predator attacks or scares, or maybe a change in where they are housed, for some examples.

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Here is a pretty good article on molting and feather loss. It might help clear up some confusion.

MF2308 Molting and Other causes of Feather Loss in Small Poultry Flocks (ksu.edu)

If an entire feather is lost they generally grow a replacement fairly soon. But if just a tiny sliver of the feather shaft is left they will not regrow that feather until they molt.

I see that nonsense about them not molting for 18 months on here occasionally, it's misinformation. Oh, it can happen. If they are hatched in the spring, start laying in the fall, and lay through the winter, they probably won't molt for about 18 months. But not all chickens that hatch in the spring skip the molt their first fall/winter. They might molt when the days start getting shorter their first fall. Not all are hatched in the spring.

Age is not what causes the molt. The days getting shorter and nights getting longer is one big reason for them molting. But there are other things that can cause a molt, typically stress of some type. Going without water for a few days, predator attacks or scares, or maybe a change in where they are housed, for some examples.

Thank you for the article. I’m guessing what @sourland said is what happened particularly for my RIR. 4 days later and already seeing new growth. But definitely good to know for the future that its not always a pecking issue if it’s in younger birds.