Winter molting

[The Tiny Homestead]

Does anyone else here in the Northeast have any chickens that are molting, in January, in 30 degree weather?

 

[aart]

Actively dropping feathers?
Do you use supplemental lighting?

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

Actively dropping feathers?
Do you use supplemental lighting?

yes, Actively dropping lots of feathers. No, I don't use supplemental lighting. I want them to do what is natural for them.

 

[CarlaCo]

We have some light feather loss and an occasional bigger feather or two and I saw ours pulling out a. Few chest feathers on themselves. We treated with ivermectin and dusted the coop with DE. But my son’s, same age as mine, are dropping tons! We live in upstate ny. No idea if it’s molting or illness.

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

Braveheart pretty much did a full molt, I made sure she had a good diet. She is back to looking like herself with nice new fluffy feathers, and getting back to asking for lap time.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Does anyone else here in the Northeast have any chickens that are molting, in January, in 30 degree weather?

Yes, just a little around the head and butt.

 

[Crazychicmama]

Visiting this site to look for the same thing! We are in central OH and our girls are losing their feathers now, too. We noticed a lot of feathers over this last week in the coop and their run and it was very cold out! Today is 38 degrees outside. Was wondering if it is normal to start when it is cold out. We have 3 Barred Rocks and 3 Wyandottes and got them all the sesame time when they were chicks at the end of February 2024.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes it is normal, and it really does seem like Mother Nature got it wrong. And people assume they are going to freeze to death. They don't tend to freeze, even very cold well below 0 cold. I have had the coop look like that first picture. The first time, I was sure I had a predator and something had been killed.

Interestingly, I have a pullet just come into lay. Another hen that was out of lay, is back in. And the two brave girls that layed for me all winter, I think they are now molting.

Make sure they have good wind protection, but don't try and keep them warm.

Mrs K