Whats normal when molting?

[Crazy_Beautiful]

Morning. This is my first time dealing with molting chickens. My molting girls are 18 months old. I have one that seems to have been molting for months... slow molting I've read. Will her feathers come in time for the colder weather? And I have another a Leghorn that has blue tinge to her comb now. Is this a normal molt behavior or my neighbour just told me her chickens have lice.. could that be what's causing it? I've also read that you shouldn't handle molting birds but to treat possible lice I'd need to hand them. Will this cause excess pain?

 

[azygous]

Those are a lot of questions to answer. If I fail to cover them all, please let me know.

Molt can vary greatly from individual to individual. Molt can be quick and intense where all the feathers are falling out seemingly at once, or it can be so gradual that you are barely aware the chicken is going through molt.

It makes no difference if molt is completed before the cold weather comes. The chicken's body will still generate body heat so they don't freeze to death, and they do snuggle together at night to help keep each other warm.

Molt has little to do with causing lice. Just because your chicken is molting doesn't mean they will also have lice. Treat for lice if you see lice on the chicken's skin, usually near the vent.

Yes, it's very uncomfortable to be handled as the new feathers come in. It's a lot like razor stubble on a human. It's prickly. There is a small risk of damaging the emerging pin feathers when handling a molting chicken, but the risk is very small. If damage occurs, it will bleed, but you can either yank out the bleeder or put corn starch on it. The chicken will grow a new feather in place of the one that had to be pulled out.

Combs can change color often due to stress or fleeting emotions and not be an indicator of anything serious. A comb that is steadily blue or very pale and doesn't change right back to normal can be a sign of serious underlying health issues. Molt does not cause these health issues.

Additional information -

-Appetite falls off during molt and the chicken can lose weight.
-Behavior can change drastically during molt. A very friendly chicken may turn into a very sullen chicken during molt and not want to be touched.
-Egg laying usually ceases during molt.
-Extra protein once or twice a week, usually fish or liver, can help a lot during molt.

 

[Crazy_Beautiful]

Interesting about the emotions. I recently rehomed our rooster the colour change came after that.
I'll have a look for lice that was just a thought because of my neighbour... our kids handle all our chickens so some sharing could have happened accidentally.
I just want to be able to help if I can or not worry if it's just part of the process. Thank you for responding

 

[CynAlexa]

I have a very small flock (3) and one is molting. This too is our first experience
May I ask the group…if we change to a higher protein feed should we also provide addition protein treats or is that too much?

 

[azygous]

I have a very small flock (3) and one is molting. This too is our first experience
May I ask the group…if we change to a higher protein feed should we also provide addition protein treats or is that too much?

Yes. The short answer is extra protein helps during molt as new feathers grow to replace the lost ones.

However, too much protein can be very hard on the kidneys. You do not want to feed high quality animal protein more than twice a week for this reason. What I do is to continue feeding the regular feed, but I add a can of mackerel once a week for twenty chickens. You may use other sources of animal protein such as canned cat food, cooked eggs, raw liver, ground beef, etc. But no more than twice a week during molt.

 

[SourRoses]

Ground Beef! Whaaaat? That's mine.

You know, I really think the chooks were eyeing me off suspiciously when I came out after eating a rare roast beef sandwich.

 

[Sally PB]

What about Calf Manna? I think it's 25% (?) protein. I've added about 1 tablespoon/bird to afternoon mash snack a couple times a week during molting.

I love the smell of that stuff.

 

[CynAlexa]

What about Calf Manna? I think it's 25% (?) protein. I've added about 1 tablespoon/bird to afternoon mash snack a couple times a week during molting.

I love the smell of that stuff.

Thanks for that suggestion. I had not heard of that but just read about. Looks like a good option.

 

[Teresa D]

I give my girls cottage cheese add soaked chia, black sunflower seeds. I also grind up oatmeal and give them that occasionally. My one girls shells were thin so I add a calcium citrate capsule to the cottage cheese and split that in three different bowls and spread it around. I also add boiled eggs smashed up I switch it up and I dont give a lot I have 8 chickens now so they each get a little. I always give 20% layer feed. I am mixing up some 18% feather fixer feed, I also have some young 18 week olds and they get starter food. I have 3 feeders spread out so they pick and choose what they want. Sometimes I add water to their food and make a mush they love that. I hate seeing them molt. I'm only getting one egg a day from my 22 week olds. My 2 yr olds aren't laying Im guessing because of molt.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

My 5 GLW's are 18 months and live in CT. I spend a lot of time with them so noticing different behavior is like a red flag. We free range about 2-4 hours a day, supervised Always of course. 4 of the 5 are experiencing their first molt (i think), except for 1. What i have noticed during molting:
* standoffish
* more quite (a chatty hen became less chatty and 1 hens voice seemed 'off' as well)
* 2 of my hens developed swelling on one side of the face that diminished fairly quickly.
* less enthusiastic about 'feeding time' when i offer wet mash morning and night.
* more cautious, sticking closer to the run/henhouse currently
* not laying eggs

Through the molt, and observing behaviors, i have learned what is concerning. A lazy seeming chicken may be concerning, but overall, she is still with the flock and manages to poke around and still eat and roost. I will check her poop as well. If i get concerned, i will offer a favorite treat to said hen, and if she enthusiastically takes it, i am less concerned. I look for overall normal behavior; is she with the flock/eating/roosting/scratching. Do her eyes and skin look normal.... If all this points to yes, then I can assume its normal(?) molting reactions. The face swelling I have never heard of with molting, but, it is coincidental the timing. Both hens developed the face swelling at the start of the molt (about 2 weeks apart), and had no complications otherwise, so I dunno, but like I said, i look for normal chicken behavior. My favorite test is when i speak to said hen. I am looking for a response that is common from her. Does she look at me and say something in her usual manner? If i say her name and offer her a favorite treat, does she take it well enough? If yes, i can assume she is fine. A chicken with her head down and not giving eye contact or response would have me in a tizzy! The power of observation is, well, powerful. I have a small flock tho, so everyone is always in my radar. Because the weather is getting colder and they are molting, i have started making 20% protein chick starter wet mash twice a day and leaving access to their 16% protein layer feed free choice. Offering high protein like sardines in water, or sunflower seeds, eggs, fish in moderation will be common as well. Like I tell my girls everynight 'Good luck everyone'!