When molting begins???

[alex]

When does molting start? (what time of year, day...ect.) And also, how do you know if silkies are molting,,,becuase i have silkies...

 

[chick a la la]

You will know when a chicken is molting when you see feathers in their coop, on the ground, and basically everywhere the chicken hangs out. I have never seen a silkie molt, so I don't know how the bird will look, but my standard breeds look pretty awful while they are molting. Also, a molting hen doesn't lay eggs, so you will notice reduced egg production.

I have heard that diminishing daylight hours can stimulate molting. However, one of my Americaunas started molting in May and still hasn't begun to lay.

Stress is a factor: supposedly you can send a flock into molt by keeping them in the dark extra hours and restricting their food. I guess that enables you to control the molt. Otherwise it can takes weeks or months for a chicken to finish a molt.