Will she ever molt?

[aldarita]

I have a production red hen that is a little over 2 years old. She did not molt last year and her feathers are looking very raggedy. I have read that hens usually don't molt during their first year, especially if they are production breeds. Will she molt this Fall?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

While the average chicken will molt every year, it doesn't mean you should hold all chickens to this standard. Oddly enough, 5 of my hens didn't molt until their 3rd year of life. They were all raggedy dolls!

So, there is no much you can do but just wait it out. If she does start molting, make sure to feed her lots of protein-filled foods and watch for any cannibalism that might develop within the flock with all the feathers laying around and exposed skin.

 

[aldarita]

Thank you Mountain Peeps for your reply. I feel better now knowing that it is normal not to molt for a while. I am just concerned because her feathers are so raggedy looking that they probably are not insulating anymore and winter is almost around the corner. I am hoping she will get some new feathers in the Fall

Some of my girls are already molting so I am giving them meal worms and BSF grubs to complement their 18% protein layer feed, of course there are feathers everywhere and I believe they are preparing me to the big feather explosions that are coming soon.