Tiny white feathers on my chickens head

[Lnunes]

Hi
I got this golden sexlink, Hilary, about 5 weeks ago from my local farm store. I was told she was 5 to 6 months old. I brought her and Eleanor home and they integrated with my small flock of three girls. I have not received an egg from either new chicken, and I'm guessing they are at least 22 weeks old. But no eggs! They are both very happy and healthy except Hillary seems to be losing feathers, no bare spots or anything. But on her head I noticed white dots, I inspected her and found them to be tiny white feathers that come right out if gently pulled. I have included a picture. Is she molting!!???!! In May? I know the birds are not stressed, they free range at least 5 hours a day, they all get along and they lay on my front porch waiting for us to come out. Also...these two girls were debeaked for "traveling". Do I have much older girls than I was told? I see no bugs on her, I looked through all of her neck feathers.

 

[nuthatched]

Are they the feather sheaths?

 

[Lnunes]

They seem to be tiny downy feathers. I have never seen a feather sheath, I suppose they could be. Every once in a while she looks a bit ragged, and appears to generally have lighter color feathers in spots. Her head was not speckled like this yesterday.

 

[nuthatched]

They seem to be tiny downy feathers. I have never seen a feather sheath, I suppose they could be. Every once in a while she looks a bit ragged, and appears to generally have lighter color feathers in spots. Her head was not speckled like this yesterday.

It should like the final stage of molting.

 

[Lnunes]

Hi
I got this golden sexlink, Hilary, about 5 weeks ago from my local farm store. I was told she was 5 to 6 months old. I brought her and Eleanor home and they integrated with my small flock of three girls. I have not received an egg from either new chicken, and I'm guessing they are at least 22 weeks old. But no eggs! They are both very happy and healthy except Hillary seems to be losing feathers, no bare spots or anything. But on her head I noticed white dots, I inspected her and found them to be tiny white feathers that come right out if gently pulled. I have included a picture. Is she molting!!???!! In May? I know the birds are not stressed, they free range at least 5 hours a day, they all get along and they lay on my front porch waiting for us to come out. Also...these two girls were debeaked for "traveling". Do I have much older girls than I was told? I see no bugs on her, I looked through all of her neck feathers.

 

[Lnunes]

Mystery solved! It must be a mini molt. We finally received a little baby brown egg! Yay! This means they are the age I was told when I purchased them. I am a happy chicken lady.

 

[Luna_wasMy_Baby]

Hi
I got this golden sexlink, Hilary, about 5 weeks ago from my local farm store. I was told she was 5 to 6 months old. I brought her and Eleanor home and they integrated with my small flock of three girls. I have not received an egg from either new chicken, and I'm guessing they are at least 22 weeks old. But no eggs! They are both very happy and healthy except Hillary seems to be losing feathers, no bare spots or anything. But on her head I noticed white dots, I inspected her and found them to be tiny white feathers that come right out if gently pulled. I have included a picture. Is she molting!!???!! In May? I know the birds are not stressed, they free range at least 5 hours a day, they all get along and they lay on my front porch waiting for us to come out. Also...these two girls were debeaked for "traveling". Do I have much older girls than I was told? I see no bugs on her, I looked through all of her neck feathers.

I have chickens myself and they haven't molted in may but sometimes when they molt the face feathers do come out and you may see white spots where the feathers used to be, it's perfectly fine it happens all the time but they don't always molt in autumn or winter, most chickens do but sometimes they molt earlier than expected. I hope this helped you