What exactly is molting?

[Danceswithchicks]

I have a hen that I think is molting. I've heard the term before and I know a chicken loses its feathers and stops laying eggs, but not anything else. I noticed that the one year old hen was losing down feathers and has stopped laying eggs. Can anyone tell me any further information other than what I already know?

 

[Uppity Peon]

Chickens go through a molt and grow new feathers periodically. Sometimes they go through a "bad molt" and look especially bat, and you wonder if they are going to die. But with proper feeding (they need protein to regrow their feathers) they will pull out of it and look beautiful again.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. All birds are different. Some may go through heavy molts and others not. Sometimes you don't really see them molting but there are feathers all over the place. Some of mine have went through mini molts and some major molts. Some were almost 2 yrs old before they went through a major molt. My girls didn't quit laying altogether but the production did drop off considerably.