Moulting before they start laying?

[By Halves]

I've been finding lots of little feathers in the ark, mostly Angel's pretty ones but a few dark ones as well. Angel does seem to be the bottom hen but as they grew up together and only had to adjust to no longer being with the other two of their former flock I haven't seen any signs of overt nastiness or pecking, just a minor keeping her in her place warning. Also earlier today I could see one of her feathers that seemed to be sliding out on its own so I wondered if we might be going to experience the dreaded moult already!

[manda]

Chickens moult every year. Most hens stop producing eggs until after the molt is completed. Some carry on laying but their moult tends to be longer (and they tend to be the less prolific layers).
Hens referred to as "late molters" will lay for 12 to 14 months before molting, while others, referred to as "early molters," may begin to molt after only a few months in production. Late molters are generally the better laying hens and will have a more ragged and tattered covering of feathers. The early molters are generally poorer layers and have a smoother, better-groomed appearance.

Early molters drop only a few feathers at a time and may take as long as 4 to 6 months to complete the molt. Early molters are usually poor producers in a flock. Late molting hens will produce longer before molting and will shed the feathers quicker (2 to 3 months). Late molters benefit because the loss of feathers and their new ones takes place at the same time, so they tend to go back to full production sooner.


The order in which birds lose their feathers is fairly definite.
- Head first
- Neck
- Breast
- Body
- Wings
- Tail.
(There's also a definite order in each it of the body)

There is a way to tell whether a hen is an early or late molter by looking at the primary wing feathers - these get lost in a regular order (from close to the body to out to the to wing-tip feathers).
Late molting hens will lose primary feathers in groups of two or more feathers, whereas early molters lose feathers individually. Replacement feathers begin to grow shortly after the old feathers are shed. So if you look at the wings a late molting birds can have groups of replacement feathers showing similar stages of growth on the wings.

Depending on when they're born in the year will also influence when they moult....if they're born later on then they will likely not lay and moult as Autumn comes so they could be almost a year before you get any eggs....so they moult before they ever lay.

Hope that makes sense of things.

[Mo]

I thought I read that between chicks and laying hens there are several changes of feathers.

[jackian]

Manda.. Great with your advice as usual.
I understood every word of that .
My old girl Clover is 4 + and she is believe it or not moulting for the first time ..Feathers every where and she has more or less stopped laying anyway.
I found all this very informative.

Jackie x

[manda]

I thought I read that between chicks and laying hens there are several changes of feathers.

They have their first juvenile mini moult at about 6 days when they lose their down and get their first feathers...then another one at between 7-12 weeks old..than after that annual (which usually happens from 16/18 months) .

[By Halves]

Very comprehensive answer, thank you Manda.

They're a bit old for it to be a 7-12 week moult so I'll keep an eye on their heads to see if anything's starting.

It did occur to me that it might just be the stress of moving home. I'm guessing they haven't been handled much as they made a lot of fuss when the guy got them out for me to look at them and they run in the opposite direction when I open the door. I suppose it could also be lice or other parasites so I need to think of how to get them used to being handled.

[By Halves]

I think I've solved the mystery. When I was checking Phoebe and especially Angel I saw lots of half open pin feathers mostly round the lower body/tail area so I think they must be coming to the end of their adolescent moult and are still dropping some feathers at the same time as the new ones are growing in.

[elliebear15]

Is the early-moult late-moult thing influenced by breed? Or is it just individual to each hen?
Ta.
Ellie x

[manda]

Tends to be to the hen rather than the breed...you can early and late moults from hens within the same breed.