How to Recognize Molting & Help Your Flock Cope

What is Molting?

One cool, crisp morning you go out to the coop and see feathers everywhere! Even though I have dealt with this before, I still panic when I see those feathers. Have my worst fears of a predator getting into the coop come true?! After counting heads 1…2…3….4…. phew, they are molting!

Young chickens have a few mini “baby molts”. They will lose down feathers and baby feathers until they are full grown. After that, they will molt each year. The first yearly molt starts after they are 15-18 months old. It usually starts when the daylight hours start to diminish (here in the Midwest, this is the start of Fall and is in September or October). The purpose of the molt is for chickens to drop old worn out feathers, and to regrow fluffy new ones. This allows their body to stay warm during the winter. As feathers fall out, new feathers emerge. They are covered with a waxy shaft until they grow out and look like pins (they are called pin feathers). You’ll notice that some chickens have a major molt and drop so many feathers that they look like a porcupine with mainly pin feathers visable. Others lose just a small amount and look about the same except their tail is shorter or their colors look a little different. If you move their feathers out of the way, you’ll see pin feathers underneath.

Big Mike in the middle of his baby molt.

Pin feathers are a bit painful for your chickens. It is best to leave your chicken alone during this time. Try not to pick them up or cuddle them. Because of this, you’ll notice your chickens might seem depressed and less active. This will pass as they become more comfortable. Molting can last a few weeks to a few months.

The drop in daylight hours signals to their pituitary gland that it is time to stop egg laying and focus energy & protein into feather production. I have had chickens who keep laying during their molt, some who slow down, and others who stop completely. Many people will add an artificial light to their coop to trick that pituitary gland into thinking it is time to keep laying eggs. I choose not to do this as I want my chickens to use their resources for new feathers and keep their health intact. Prepare for this molt by freezing excess eggs ahead of time. Here is a video on how to do that: FREEZING EGGS

Chippy’s molt is what we call a “hard molt”! She was in rough shape!

Nugs deep into her fall molt! She moved around so slowly during this time.

Supporting Your Flock

As a backyard chicken keeper, you may feel compelled to support your flock through this molt. I know I am! Here are a few tips to do that.

Give your chickens space by not holding or petting them.
Put hen protection saddles on your ladies if a rooster is mating them and causing injury or pain. Separate if necessary.
Change their layer feed to a non-medicated chick crumble or an all flock feed. Chickens who are molting no longer need that extra calcium from the layer feed and the extra protein will benefit them. If you have first year chickens who are not molting, keep a side feeder of crushed oyster shells availble.
Offer high protein snacks such as scrambled eggs, nuts and seeds, sprouted legumes, or black soldier fly grubs (our favorites are from Eaton Pet and Pasture and my code is purelychickens)
Consider fermenting your chicken feed to offer extra nutrients and health benefits. I have a saved highlight bubble on my instagram @purelychickens called “Fermenting” with all of the information you’ll need!
Keep a close eye on feathers as they come in. If one gets damaged you’ll need to stop the bleeding by using a clotting agent and pressure. If it does not stop, use tweezers and a firm grasp at the base to pull the feather completely.
Provide your flock with probiotics & electrolytes to help manage the stress.
Supplement your flock’s feed with Icelandic kelp! It is high in protein & has lots of vitamins and minerals to assist in the molt recover. (It also helps with making orange yolks!).
For chickens in a really rough molt, I like to spritz their feathers with my feather mist. In a 4oz glass spray bottle I mix 5 drops lavender, frankincense, and the rest water. Spritz once or twice a day. To learn more about the essential oils I use with my flock, CLICK HERE.

Stress Molts

Molting can happen for other reasons that are unrelated to the fall molt. This can happen other times of the year. It is usually triggered by stress. Stress can happen because of injury or illness, adding new birds, bullying and pecking order, malnutrition or dehydration, moving to a new coop or new property, or the presence of predators. During a stress molt you can support your chickens by removing the stressor if possible and completing the bulleted items above.