Quiz: Is Your Flock Ready for Molt Season?

[Bsmac]

I'm glad mine haven't done that!!

Mine have not molted that severely! But they all will molt at some point, usually after the first year.

 

[D1N0]

No fullgrown

Stil pullets? Wait till next year.

 

[BDutch]

No fullgrown

Pullets is the name for hens under 1 yo. They can be full-grown but don’t moult seriously yet (in general).
First moult is when chicks change down for feathers. There is often a second light moult just before point of lay.

Most hens in industrial farming start to moult seriously at the age of approx 20 months. These hens are kept in unnatural circumstances inside a building. This is the moment when the farmer sell his hens for the meat bc its not commercially interesting to keep the laying hybrids any longer.

In more natural circumstances/ the more natural breeds , the age (when the hens stop laying & moult serious), differs more. Most hens tend to start moulting at the end of their second summer or in autumn. But as usual, there is not a one ‘size’ fits all.