Questions about molting :/

[happyhens44]

I Just got chickens this spring and im confussed

when will they start molting?

and is it true that pullets stop laying while molting?


and how long does molting usually take?

 

[Judy]

What I noticed was, a partial molt around 6 months and a full one around 18 months.

Yes, usually.

About a month or two, but it varies a lot.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
When were they hatched?

 

[happyhens44]

Well I have 10 chickens


4 where bought from a feed store March 26 ( I am going to guess they were 1 week, tops.)

2 were bought frim the feed store, April 8th ( I am going to guess they were 1 week, tops.)


4 where bought from a feed store , April 23 ( I am going to guess they were 1 week, tops.)


So March 26 hatch are about, 30.8 Weeks old and like 7.7 months about....

April 8th Hatch are about, 29.8 weeks old, and are about 7.4 months

April 23 hatch are about, 26.7 weeks old, and are about 6.6 months...

 

[centrarchid]

They are all effectively young adults. For many breeds, excepting the slow growing, near full adult size and first adult feathering realized by 6 months. The first adult feather set will then carry over into the 2011 molting season (next fall). My youngest cohort which will not be in adult feathers until mid-March will molt into second adult feather set at same time as yours in 2011.