Well, it's been a year now, and I've never seen it???

[carriehelene]

Believe it or not, after a year now of owning these wonderful aliens that have entered our lives, I have never seen any of them molt. My original girls are a year old now. One of them, a supposed to be black JG (definately not!) named Alice is looking a little, well, scruffy. Some of her feathers are a bit dull and unkempt, and while she hasn't lost any yet, I'm wondering if they look like this before they start a molt? She seems healthy, I checked her crop and abdomen, both seem normal. She's acting normal, if a bit spring-feverish like the rest of us. So, do they look scruffy before a molt, or should I start investigating other things? Oh yeah, and I also checked for pests on the little goobers, none of those found either. My SLW has lost some of her butt fluff also. A concern? or normal? Carrie

 

[patandchickens]

Well, you've seen them molt as *chicks*

But, yeah, once they are grown they do not usually molt til their second summer (age 12-18 months) or so. Yes, they do get kind of scruffy and dull looking before the molt, the feathers are kind of worn and threadbare. Chances are they'll look like that for some while before they molt though, this would not be a normal time of year for it.

It is definitely worth checking on the other aspects of their health (in particular, look closely and all over for mites/lice), but if all that seems to be wrong is that they look a bit scruffy, it may be just normal wear and tear.

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[RockwaterFarm]

my first hen didn't molt until almost 2 years after we got her.

 

[Tala]

Mine were lookin a little scruffy today too. Probably because it rained, and my 2 roosters seem to be having a competition.....

They aren't due to molt until this fall (I don't think anyway) but yes it does seem that their feathers are starting to look, just, well, "old" since they've been wearing them for almost a year now.

 

[CoopDelisle]

Hehe. I remember how proud we were that our flock looked so beautiful for so long. That is what happens with such tender-loving care! But then, they suddenly began to look like moth-eaten old coats--tails gone, red lookin' backsides, oh no! But then, the feathers began to come back in (now THAT was lip-curling grossness!) And now they are fluffy-butts and proudly showing their tail feathers again! Reminds me of my succession of old school pictures....

Coop

 

[TK Poultry]

my ducks have molted but i dont think my chickens have when the ducks droped their feathers it looked like they were having a pillow fight all the time. the first time i saw this i was like o my goodness something has ate my ducks but they were just molting.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Has anyone noticed their hens acting very strangely the day or two before molting?
Our EEs curled up in the nests instead of sleeping on the roost. The Leghorn started flying ALL over the place. The behavior lasts 2 days, then we see feathers all over and go AHA! Ours have molted individually at separate times, so the odd behavior has been noticeable.

 

[CityChook]

I KNEW my girls were molting when it looked like a pillow fight happened inside the coop each morning. I'd pick up errant feathers and then have to do it all over again the next day. Oh, and they completely STOPPED laying. For months. In the summer. Brats.