Summer molt

[Viksceeks]

I believe my top hen is going through a heavy molt, and it's hot as heck here. 103 today...she hasn't been her bossy self lately but still running around doing her thing
Question is- how long do heavy molts typically last? She's going on over a month and she looks really rough
I'll try to get a picture later when she roosts


Update
This is 11 days apart...i'm starting to think something else is going on. She's definitely thinner.

I'm keeping her on high protein and plenty of food, water, ect

 

[rosemarythyme]

Way to check if it's a molt vs some other problem is to look for pin feathers coming in. I assume you've also seen a large amount of her feathers all over the place? Most of my birds tend to have patchy molts but some do a more even, all over blow out.

Hard to tell if she's actually thinner or if she blew out so many feathers all over that she's lost most of the feather bulk. You'd have to pick her up and feel her to see if she's thinner.

 

[Viksceeks]

Way to check if it's a molt vs some other problem is to look for pin feathers coming in. I assume you've also seen a large amount of her feathers all over the place? Most of my birds tend to have patchy molts but some do a more even, all over blow out.

Hard to tell if she's actually thinner or if she blew out so many feathers all over that she's lost most of the feather bulk. You'd have to pick her up and feel her to see if she's thinner.

I did pick her up, that's how I could tell she was thinner.
She does have patches of just skin and patches of feathers starting to come in

 

[chickens really]

Some of my Hens have molted only the insulation downy feathers and some look like plucked chickens. It all depends on the molt.

 

[Viksceeks]

Some of my Hens have molted only the insulation downy feathers and some look like plucked chickens. It all depends on the molt.

That makes me feel better. I've never experienced a heavy molt with my birds. Only light molts in the fall

 

[chickens really]

That makes me feel better. I've never experienced a heavy molt with my birds. Only light molts in the fall

Me too. I've only had one Hen that ever had a full blown molt..

 

[rosemarythyme]

My guess is the molt is making her cranky, so her behavior may be a bit off. As long as she's still fairly active, eating and drinking without issue, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Molts can take awhile to recover from, a month or even two isn't unusual if it's been a pretty heavy molt.

 

[Viksceeks]

My guess is the molt is making her cranky, so her behavior may be a bit off. As long as she's still fairly active, eating and drinking without issue, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Molts can take awhile to recover from, a month or even two isn't unusual if it's been a pretty heavy molt.

She's less cranky normally she's chasing all the pullets and rooster around being bossy. Lately she hasn't cared as much, she even shared some treats with them for a few seconds

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Heavy molting makes hens feel and act weird. It just has to take its course. One of mine lost all of her back end feathers one fall. Made me recall a weird dream I had when I was a kid about being in school in my pijamas, then realizing I didn't have bottoms on. She would sunbath on clear days with her butt pointed towards the sun

 

[kissezmychicken]

Heavy molts are almost heartbreaking to watch.. My leghorn had a heavy molt during the coldest part of winter.. She was nearly bald and it was 15 degrees on average during the day and dipping way below freezing at night.. I put those hand and feet warmers in thick knitted soft socks and put them in the area she likes to sleep.. Dont touch them either.. Their blood feathers or whatever they are called look like they could bleed just looking at them.. She is a silky beautiful girl now..