I got 8-10 correct. Just had my second clutch of babies. Chicken math is real. lolFeathers are about to fly! Molting season is one of the most natural — and sometimes stressful — times for your flock. Chickens shed their old feathers and grow new ones, which takes a lot of energy and often changes their behavior. But how ready are you to guide your hens through this feathery transition?
Take this quiz to test your knowledge and see if your flock is truly prepared for molt season!
Questions
1. When do most chickens begin their annual molt?
a) In the spring
b) In the late summer to fall
c) In the middle of winter
d) Anytime they feel like it
2. What usually happens to egg production during molt?
a) It stays the same
b) It increases
c) It decreases or stops altogether
d) Eggs become double-yolked
3. What’s the main reason chickens molt?
a) To look pretty for rooster admiration
b) To replace old, worn-out feathers with new ones
c) To take a seasonal break from laying
d) To prepare for migration
4. During molt, what nutrient is especially important to increase in their diet?
a) Calcium
b) Protein
c) Fiber
d) Carbohydrates
5. True or False: You should handle molting chickens often to help them stay calm.
6. What is one sign that your chicken is molting and not sick?
a) Droopy wings and pale comb
b) Missing feathers and pin feathers growing in
c) Lethargy and constant sitting
d) Watery eyes
7. How long does a typical molt last?
a) 1–2 weeks
b) 4–12 weeks
c) 6 months
d) Until the chicken decides otherwise
8. Which of the following should you avoid feeding too much during molt?
a) Scrambled eggs
b) Sunflower seeds
c) Corn and scratch grains
d) High-protein feed
9. What is a “hard molt”?
a) When a chicken loses just a few feathers at a time
b) When a chicken loses a large amount of feathers quickly
c) When a chicken refuses to molt
d) A rare condition where feathers grow backwards
10. Why might chickens seem more irritable during molt?
a) Their new pin feathers are sensitive and painful if touched
b) They’re jealous of the other hens
c) They’re going through “henopause”
d) They’re just cranky by nature
Answers
- b) In the late summer to fall
- c) It decreases or stops altogether
- b) To replace old, worn-out feathers with new ones
- b) Protein
- False — avoid handling, pin feathers are tender
- b) Missing feathers and pin feathers growing in
- b) 4–12 weeks
- c) Corn and scratch grains (too much lowers protein intake)
- b) When a chicken loses a large amount of feathers quickly
- a) Their new pin feathers are sensitive and painful if touched
How did you do?
- 9–10 correct: Your flock is in expert hands - molting season doesn’t stand a chance!
- 6–8 correct: You’re on the right track, just sharpen up on a few details.
- 0–5 correct: Don’t worry - molting can be tricky, but now you’ve got the knowledge to prep your hens for feather regrowth!
Molting may look messy, but it’s a beautiful reminder that your flock is resilient and constantly renewing. With your care, those bald spots will soon be covered in glossy new feathers — and your hens will strut back into the coop looking fresher than ever!
So tell us: what’s your best tip or trick for helping chickens through molt season? And don't forget to share your results in the comments.
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Poor thing!!Here’s my little over-achiever.View attachment 4212438View attachment 4212440View attachment 4212441
Not having gone through a molt as of yet it’s the molt in the middle of winter that causes me to pause. Seems to put the chicken at risk of freezing.
Some of mine like to molt IN THE SNOW, and I am always worried -like you are- about them freezing.
Good to know. Having this as our first flock, and currently at 14 months old, we are looking at a potential molt in the dead of winter in the Mid Atlantic
