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Very stupid question, but this is my "final frontier" to go though...molting.

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by Cluky, Aug 28, 2013.

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  1. Aug 28, 2013 #1
    Cluky

    Cluky Chillin' With My Peeps

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    I have a 1 year old hen that just started molting couple of weeks ago. She is eating and drinking, although she is definitely more standoffish then she usually is. Typically she loves attention. So question is, WHEN DO chickens go though it? is there specific time of year or can be any time? I live Midwest so no significant change in day light yet, although our temps have been in 90s now.
     
  3. Aug 28, 2013 #2
    Judy

    Judy Moderator Staff Member

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    She's probably standoffish because she is very uncomfortable. This is not at all unusual. They molt about once a year, and it can be any time. A little extra protein should help, because they use it making new feathers. Hopefully in a month or two, she will be back to her old attention loving self.

    Here's an article, if you want to read more

    https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickens-loosing-feathers-managing-your-flocks-molt
     
  5. Aug 28, 2013 #3
    Happy Chooks

    Happy Chooks Moderator Staff Member

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    They don't like to be touched when they are molting. It can't be comfortable to be a pincushion. As Flockwatcher said, they can molt at any time, but typically it is in the fall when the daylight hours are getting shorter.
     
  7. Aug 28, 2013 #4
    ChirpyChicks1

    ChirpyChicks1 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Good luck! I know nothing about molt either [​IMG] But I have awhile before my flock goes through it.

    I'm in Kansas so I'm also "enjoying" this heatwave, blah, my poor chickens haven't had to deal with heat very much this summer. The poor things are digging some impressive holes to get to the cool sandy dirty. Walking through the chicken run is like a minefield [​IMG]
     
  9. Aug 28, 2013 #5
    Happy Chooks

    Happy Chooks Moderator Staff Member

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    1 person likes this.

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