When do ducks molt?

[Michael P]

My Welsh Harlequins are 15 months old and have been laying almost every day since they were 5 months old, even during the winter. Incredible! I don't use artificial light. When can I expect them to start the annual molt?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Fall

 

[Michael P]

Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

Mine molt in the spring...I'm in Canada...

 

[CrystaBub]

I'm really glad you started this thread Michael P! My question is when do they STOP molting? My ducks are 13 weeks old and I feel like they've been molting since 3 weeks old. First was the baby feathers, then I guess it was the juvenile feathers, and I don't know what now but they seem to be losing the down feathers now. How much longer can this go on? Amazingly they are not bald!

 

[Michael P]

I've done some more research, and this is the most detailed discussion of molting in ducks I've found: https://104homestead.com/duck-molting/ Like most things on the internet it may not be accurate, but it seems to match other descriptions.

Using this information, I should expect my ducks to molt down feathers in mid-summer, and flight feathers in the fall.

 

[Lil Drake40]

That was a good write up.