Rapid Moulting Chicken

[DarrenHolmes]

Does this look like normal moulting, the last week and a half there was no sign of moulting but now this is what my top pecking order chicken looks like, she is very slow and docile, at least the two younger chickens I have introduced are getting a break from all the chasing and pecking. Any help would be great as I am new to chickens.

 

[boskelli1571]

Welcome to the flock!! Yup - looks like she's got the moult on!! Nice healthy little pin feathers coming through. She's a smart chicken - mine usually moult in the late fall when it's chilly! Nice bird!

 

[DarrenHolmes]

Hi, thanks for the response, it good to know that there is not much to worrie about, like your chicken that usually moults when it's chilli, my chicken has the the same thing, were are a few weeks into winter here in New Zealand.

 

[boskelli1571]

I hope it doesn't get as coold there as it does here -17F this past February!!

 

[DarrenHolmes]

Wow, it doesn't get that cold here, where I am in Wellington we get the cold wind from the Cook Straight waters which the coldness comes from the Antartic when it blowing from the south, so we get the chill factor in the wind.

 

[leftyfoot]

Glad to know its normal I had 3 chickens last year they didn't moult like mine are now I thought it was caused by my Rooster(Hank). It looks bad around my coop feathers everywhere!!! I have 8 chickens and 1 rooster.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It seems like better layers molt fast and hard and poorer layers can take months, yours looks to be a sex link which probably lays very well, she looks so uncomfortable, the good thing is they grow feathers faster, but that's also why they require more protein.

 

[Mrs. K]

One morning, I went down, and my white chicken hardly had a feather left, she was almost naked, and the floor of the coop looked like snow, but those feathers grew back incredibly fast!
I would rather have a hard fast molt, than a slow one that drags on forever!

Mrs K