What's "normal" feather loss?

[jennyf]

Six 12-week old pullets in a 24 sq ft coop and 200 sq ft run. They seem happy and have not noticed any picking feathers or picking on each other. First time chicken owner, was prepared for the poop, but how about the feathers! They seem to lose a human handful or two of feathers (piled up, not scrunched together, if you know what I mean) each day. Mixed down and wing feathers, mixed from all chickens. Have looked for live and mites and have not seen anything, and no patches of missing feathers or any scabby areas. Is this normal? The only unusual thing is that we went in one month (St. Louis) from having early morning temps of 40 (I think we even had a frost) in mid-May to 100 in mid-June. Could the wild temp swing have made them drop more, or is this normal anyway? TIA!

 

[Poultry parent]

when chickens are about 10-12 weeks old they have the plumage of an adult bird, then they molt it out and get their adult feathers in. they will molt again in the winter. it's nothing to worry about unless there is obvious bald spots and scabs. also when they molt in the winter try not to pick them up as the new feather shafts hurt if touched.