Tell me about molting.....

[KRussell]

I have 25 hens. Various breeds. Isa's, Buff's, Leghorns, Silverlaced Wyandottes, Black Sex Links, Amber Links.

For the past four weeks, it looks like a feather bomb in the pen and the chicken house. We have a very large pen. We do let them free range in the evenings.

It seems like this is going on a long time. The Isa's have little bald red skinned heads. A couple amber's have some baldness on their heads, a couple leghorns shed some wing feathers. I'm getting a 50% lay rate.

The Wyandotte's, Buff's and two Amber's are only 6 months old, and they have lost nothing. They are my new girls, and the new girls didn't lose any feather's at all. So since they've lost nothing, I'm sure it's a molt for the others and not any other issues. But it seems like it's a long time. Maybe they've just sort of alternated who's molting and who's laying. All of those are 1 1/2 years old.

Everyone seems otherwise healthy and active. Combs look good.

I just feel like it's taking a long time, but I don't know that I've ever experienced a full on molt. When we lived in TN, we had a 95% lay rate too but at 2 years old, we never saw a molt.

Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Thanks!
Kristan

 

[silkiecuddles]

Here is a great article on molting by @Mountain Peeps.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/what-happens-when-chickens-molt
I suggest reading it and seeing if that matches up with what your hens are going throug.

 

[KRussell]

Thank you! Wow, a molt can be 12 weeks! We might have a way to go

 

[silkiecuddles]

Thank you!  Wow, a molt can be 12 weeks!  We might have a way to go

No problem, glad to help!