Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by AwesomeChickens
If you are starting to notice an abundance of chicken feathers all over the barn floor, or your chickens are looking a bit funny covered in bald spots, this may indicate you have a molting chicken. Chickens molt to change out their old feathers and make way for the new ones, which happens at a specific time in your chicken’s life.
Chickens molt once a year. This is usually around the fall months when there is a shorter amount of daylight and chickens are preparing to keep warm during the winter months. This feather regrowth process usually lasts for about eight weeks but could go on for a few weeks longer.
The molting process and resulting feather loss is a challenging and exhausting time in a chicken’s life. Let’s take a look at the molting process, why it occurs, and things you can do to help keep your flock comfortable during such a rough time.
Table of Contents
Why are Your Chickens Molting?
Molting is very common and necessary for all chickens. When a chicken starts to molt, it is a sign they are getting in a new set of feathers. They do this to renew their feathers and to have a fresh and more comfortable setting to keep them warm throughout the colder temperatures and shorter periods of daylight.
Do All Chickens Molt at The Same Time?
Although a chicken’s biology is designed for beginning the molting process around the same time, that doesn’t necessarily mean your entire flock is going to go through it at the exact same time. Each chicken is different and will begin this phase at its own time.
If you raise chickens and have many in your flock, you should expect to see loose feathers and irritable chickens for about three months before they’re all fully feathered again.
What Time of Year do Chickens Molt?
As previously mentioned, most chickens will begin to molt when the days get shorter, and the sunlight is gone earlier for many that are around the fall months leading into the winter season. This molting season is a natural cycle in a chicken’s life and will automatically occur without any prompting or action taken by the owners.
Why Didn’t My Chicken Molt?
If you have a hen that doesn’t molt, you probably don’t have anything to worry about. Especially if it’s your chicken’s first winter experience, some hens will refrain from molting during this time while the rest of the flock goes through the process as expected.
Do Chickens Lay Eggs When Molting?
There are some chickens that will still continue to lay eggs throughout their molting period; however, it is uncommon. Instead, most chickens will stop laying eggs to reserve their energy for this eight-week-long process.
Signs Your Chicken Is Molting
Numerous signs can help you identify whether or not your chicken is molting. It is essential to know what these signs and symptoms are so that you can spot whether your chicken is molting or if something else is taking place.
How Can You Tell if a Chicken is Molting or it Has Mites?
When your chicken begins to molt, you are going to surely recognize the bald spots that are beginning to form all over its body. However, molting is not the only reason your bird could be losing their feathers. Another common reason for birds to start balding is mites.
How Do Chickens Act When They Have Mites
You will notice not only a physical change but also a mental change if your chicken is infested with things like mites or lice. Some significant signs and symptoms that should notify you of an infestation include but are not limited to:
- Diminished activity
- A pale comb
- Dirty feathers
- Weight loss
- Less egg production
- Bald spots
- Feather picking
- Stress
How do Chickens Act When Molting?
Unlike the effect of mites, the impacts of molting are most noticeable through a phase of changes, and most of the time, your chicken will look and act completely healthy, although they might be a bit unattractive for a while.
The most common signs and symptoms of molting in chickens include, but may not be limited to:
- Reduced or halted egg production
- Moodiness
- Loss of feathers
- Bald patches (these feathers will fall out in order and not in random places like with mites)
- Main feathers fall out, and their down will start to appear
If your chicken seems lethargic, dirty, unhealthy, or stressed, they are most likely not losing their feathers due to molting, but instead because of mites. If this is the case, they should be treated as soon as possible.
Mites can easily infest an entire chicken coop and become a menace to every bird in your flock.
Other Reasons for Chickens to Lose Their Feathers
If your chicken is losing their feathers and they don’t have anything to do with molting or mites, it may have something to do with the other chickens in the coop.
Like many other animals, chickens will “fight” or intimidate one another for authority and to become the flock’s leader. This type of behavior is totally normal and usually doesn’t cause serious issues. However, if a chicken is singled out, it may become bullied, and the others will constantly attack the weaker chicken.
If you have a broody hen in the coop, there is a good chance you will notice they have plucked their own chest feathers out in order to have a direct connection between their skin and the egg. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous action for the hen.
If the other chickens in the coop see the red, irritated skin on the hen, they may target that hen and start to pluck out more feathers and peck at it.
To Sum Things Up
Chickens are designed to molt once a year. This is done to rid their bodies of used or dead feathers and to replace them with fresh new feathers for the upcoming fall and winter months. This is extremely common and needs to happen for your chickens to remain happy and healthy. However, it is vital to keep a good eye on your chickens. If they are losing feathers outside of the typical time frame or seem unhealthy, it’s likely that molting is not the situation.
