Still molting?

[Shaelyn Hill]

We got our first 5 hens last May. Last fall they had just started laying so they haven’t ever been through a molt until this year. I’ve read online that it can take a longer time for “spring chickens” to begin laying again after their very first molt - at this point it’s going on 3 months and they do appear to have all grown their feathers back in and I’m not finding any stray lost feathers in the coop.

1 of the 5 did start laying again about 2 weeks ago. 1 of our 2 brown leghorns who were also the first we had out of the flock to begin producing.

All of this is to say - what I’m worried about is the 2nd of our 2 brown leghorns. I know their combs can change depending on whether they’re laying, molting, etc. but just within the last week the 2nd leghorn has all the sudden started to develop a very pale comb. She is also visibly a bit smaller than her counterpart when before they were pretty close in size.

At this point I feel like she should be finished with her molt and even though she hasn’t laid in a few months, it just now began to turn really pale.

I’ve tried searching photos online about possible diseases, etc. and it doesn’t look like any of those. She seems to act normal and isn’t lethargic or anything either.

So am I just being paranoid? Is it just because of her molt? We haven’t ever dealt with anything like this before so I just wanted to ask for advice to be sure!

[photo from this morning to show the comparison between the two brown leghorns]

 

[rebrascora]

It is totally normal for their combs to go pale and shrivelled whilst they are out of lay. Are you sure that her comb has suddenly changed or are you just noticing this because her compatriot's comb is now bright red because she is back in lay and that is drawing your attention to her pale comb. The other bird in the photo also has a very pale comb but you do not seem to be concerned about that, so I am thinking you are comparing the two leghorns because they are the same breed and not figuring in that one is ovulating and the other hasn't started again yet.

 

[Shaelyn Hill]

It is totally normal for their combs to go pale and shrivelled whilst they are out of lay. Are you sure that her comb has suddenly changed or are you just noticing this because her compatriot's comb is now bright red because she is back in lay and that is drawing your attention to her pale comb. The other bird in the photo also has a very pale comb but you do not seem to be concerned about that, so I am thinking you are comparing the two leghorns because they are the same breed and not figuring in that one is ovulating and the other hasn't started again yet.

I do think seeing the two leghorns side by side make them look more startling - that’s why I figured I would post to ask advice for anyone more experienced with this kind of thing

As for the other bird in the photo, you’re right she has kind of a pale comb too. Hers is so much smaller and not usually as red as the leghorns are so I guess it isn’t quite as obvious haha - thanks!