What is Molting?
Molting is the process that chickens (and other birds) go through to replace old, broken and dirty feathers with new healthy ones. This is not only for aesthetic reasons but also for health reasons. Healthy new feathers help trap warm air through the winter better than old feathers.
Late summer to mid fall, your run will start to look like there's been a huge pillow fight, with feathers everywhere.
Adding supplemental light in the coop and then changing your mind and deciding not to add light midway through the winter can also trigger a molt, so be consistent with your supplemental light if you choose to add it.
The first adult molt generally occurs at about 18 months of age and then will occur annually after that, usually in the late summer or autumn.
Good layers tend to molt more quickly (taking 3-4 months, between 14-16 weeks generally) while poor layers can sometimes take up to 6 months to complete the entire molting process.
Hens stop laying while they are molting since all their energy and nutrients need to be concentrated on growing new feathers, although good layers may continue during the initial part of the molt. Roosters also molt and lose fertility while they are molting, even becoming permanently sterile if they lose enough body weight (more than 25%).
Good layers tend to molt more quickly (taking 3-4 months, between 14-16 weeks generally) while poor layers can sometimes take up to 6 months to complete the entire molting process.
Hens stop laying while they are molting since all their energy and nutrients need to be concentrated on growing new feathers, although good layers may continue during the initial part of the molt. Roosters also molt and lose fertility while they are molting, even becoming permanently sterile if they lose enough body weight (more than 25%).
A chicken can go through a mild molt and barely look as if she's missing any feathers, or look really awful with huge chunks of feathers missing. My girls seem almost embarrassed, as if they know how horrible they look, and tend to hide behind bushes while they are molting.
They act listless and unhappy. This is normal. They will bounce back to their perky selves once the molt period is over and they have their gorgeous new glossy, healthy feathers. Egg production most likely won't return to the same levels as before the first molt but eggs will generally be larger and of better quality.
They act listless and unhappy. This is normal. They will bounce back to their perky selves once the molt period is over and they have their gorgeous new glossy, healthy feathers. Egg production most likely won't return to the same levels as before the first molt but eggs will generally be larger and of better quality.
While the length of each hens' molt can vary widely, the pattern is always the same. It starts at the head and neck, then moves to the saddle, breast, abdomen, wings and finally the tail.
It's fairly easy to recognize a molting hen versus one who is being pecked or the victim of feather pulling because in a molt, the new feathers literally push the old feathers out, so new shafts or quills can be seen where the old feathers are missing.
It's fairly easy to recognize a molting hen versus one who is being pecked or the victim of feather pulling because in a molt, the new feathers literally push the old feathers out, so new shafts or quills can be seen where the old feathers are missing.
If feathers are being pulled out by other hens, there will be bare spots. If there are bare patches around the vent, it's most likely lice or other parasites, not a molt. If you notice a hen with a bare breast or abdomen, she's not molting, she's broody. Read more about broody hens HERE.
While the chicken is growing in new feathers, they are covered in a waxy coating to protect the "pin" feathers that are filled with blood which nourishes the growing shaft and feather.
As the feather grows, the wax casing breaks and falls off to allow the new feather to emerge. You might see the cast off casings in your nesting boxes or floor of your coop.
While the chicken is growing in new feathers, they are covered in a waxy coating to protect the "pin" feathers that are filled with blood which nourishes the growing shaft and feather.
As the feather grows, the wax casing breaks and falls off to allow the new feather to emerge. You might see the cast off casings in your nesting boxes or floor of your coop.
During a molt, extra nutrition is extremely beneficial to your hens. Feathers are made of approximately 80-90% protein, 8 percent water and 1% water-insoluble fats, so providing your molters extra protein during their molt is critical. Good protein sources include:
Many herbs also contain high levels of protein and can be fed free-choice, fresh, or added to your chickens' feed in dried/crushed form. Some of the best include basil, chervil, coriander, dill, fennel, marjoram, parsley, spearmint and tarragon.
- meal worms
- sunflower seeds
- scrambled eggs
- meat scraps
- fish scraps
- herbs
Many herbs also contain high levels of protein and can be fed free-choice, fresh, or added to your chickens' feed in dried/crushed form. Some of the best include basil, chervil, coriander, dill, fennel, marjoram, parsley, spearmint and tarragon.
I have developed an easy recipe for Molt Meatloaf that I feed to my hens while they are working hard to grow back their feathers that incorporates several protein sources.
They love it - and the eggs, oats and ground beef provide protein while the milk product provides added calcium, both of which help their molt go faster and more smoothly.
They love it - and the eggs, oats and ground beef provide protein while the milk product provides added calcium, both of which help their molt go faster and more smoothly.
MOLT MEATLOAF
Ingredients:
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
¾ Cup water
2T Molasses
2/3 Cup Old-fashioned Oats
2/3 Cup Layer Crumble (or pellets moistened in a bit of water)
¼ Cup Wheat germ
¼ Cup Powdered Milk
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
¼ Cup Fresh or Dried Parsley
1T each Fresh or Dried Basil, Dill, Marjoram and Tarragon
1 ½ Pounds Ground Beef
In large bowl, combine eggs, milk and molasses. Stir in oats, crumble, wheat germ, powdered milk, garlic and herbs. Add meat and mix well. Pat mixture into a small casserole or loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool, slice and serve. Leftovers can be frozen and then defrosted as needed.
Sources:
http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/animal-industries/poultry/care-and-husbandry/moulting

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http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/animal-industries/poultry/care-and-husbandry/moulting

Your recipes always sound good enough for us to eat!
ReplyDeleteGreat info!! Thanks so much
ReplyDeleteI use recipes similarly for my parrots. They love birdie bread made from jiffy cornbread mixes with whole corn, or fruit cocktail..sunflower seeds, and it bakes in te microwave for 7-10 minute or until done in a 9" square glass dish.
ReplyDeleteLove this recipe and I learned something new too. I didn't know roosters were infertile when molting. Thanks!
ReplyDeletemy girls are still young. so i need to tyr and keep this in mine for when it come
ReplyDeleteYou've done it again with this recipe-Thank You.
ReplyDeleteSandra Miller
Looks yummy! My girls aren't really in full molt but they are losing baby feathers and bringing on their big girl ones! I do worry about them getting enough protein so I'll have to give this a try!
ReplyDeleteDo you freeze it? It would take the girls a while to eat up a whole pan of it! :-)
Sure you could slice it and freeze the slices and then dole them out one by one. Great idea. My girls finished off the loaf in about 3 seconds, but there are 21 of them!
DeleteHey, I have to cook for my parents and my family every night. I'm like Donna----Sounds good enough for us! I've got a meat loaf craving going on. That said, this sounds great for the flock!!! Can't wait to try it!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks SO much!
How often would you feed this to them during a molt to be benefical? My husband will be jealous if I cook his favorite for the girls and not a people one for him also.
ReplyDeleteWhile they are molting I try to give them some extra protein every day. Whether it be this meatloaf, scrambled eggs or mealworms. Switch it up with other protein sources and that will be fine. I usually time it so I bake a meatloaf for us to eat for dinner at the same time.
DeleteThank you for taking time to reply and in such a timely manner :-)
DeleteI read somewhere parsley is bad for chickens. Is that bad info? I am totally using this recipe for my girls even if I don't add parsley. I love you gals at FED.
ReplyDeleteHi. I have never heard that and I give my chickens parsley all the time. All the culinary herbs are so beneficial for them. If you are concerned, you could certainly leave it out, but I have fed mine parsley for years without any problems.
DeleteIf it makes you nervous you could add purslane. My chickens are crazy for it, and it is high in omega 3's.
DeleteI've missed your posts, Lisa. Glad I didn't miss this one. I've saved it for future reference. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this info! Apparently some recently purchased girls of mine are in this process. I'm kinda new to chickens and hear about molting etc but I didn't know ALL these things! Now I'm gonna go home and start pampering my babies so they will be beautiful as I'm sure they were before! Ty again. I shared this on my facebook too. I commented as anonymous because I don't have an option to post as my Facebook name. I follow ur page there also. (Brenda Jones Thomas)
ReplyDeleteSOOO needed this today....our roo is in full molt and looking pitiful. Just fixed them some scrambled eggs/tuna! thanks a bunch!
ReplyDeleteMy girls are 3 1/2 months old and I guess going through a mini-molt on their way to getting big girl feathers...whole beautiful feathers and some down. Do they need supplements like this recipe for a mini-molt ?
ReplyDeleteI have 3 that are just starting their molt....feathers everywhere!!!
ReplyDeleteFascinating! A few of our birds are going through their first molt right now. They look ridiculous! I had no idea the molt could take up to six months! Poor ladies, that must be the pits!
ReplyDeleteMixing in a little cayenne pepper would benefit your flock. They can't taste the heat like we can (fewer taste buds), but the internal parasites sure don't like the stuff! It won't cure an infestation, but can help as a preventative.
ReplyDeleteMuch-Needed Protein for Feather Regrowth in Chickens
ReplyDeleteThanks
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Hi! I am new to chickens and your blog has been a wealth of information for me. I've learned so much and am so thankful for it, so thank you, thank you! So, we got 5 chicks last April, so as of now, they are almost 10 months old. Yesterday, I noticed my Australorp had a few feathers in the run and this morning in the coop she had quite a few underneath the roost. Is it possible she could be starting to molt at this time of year? I guess I wasn't expecting them to molt until next fall. I do inspect them quite often for mites, lice, etc... but will look at her a little closer when I get home today. I also noticed that yesterday, she seemed to be a little more quiet. I really didn't think much of it because she was still acting normal for the most part and eating, drinking and still running around. I spend quite a bit of time with them, so I feel like I sometimes pick up subtle differences in their behavior...unless it's me being paranoid! Just curious if they could have a first adult molt this time of year?
ReplyDelete