The Molt

Recently our chickens began molting. Beatrice led the charge, after her Marigold, then Penny, Millicent, Betty, and Opal has yet to start. Beatrice got through hers quickly, but she is still losing feathers every once in awhile. Penny lost hundreds of feathers in a week, but it seemed to make very little difference. It took a long time for hers to grow back, and she is such a dirty girl her feathers don't seem new. Beatrice, on the other hand, is super soft and her feathers are still clean and probably will for awhile.

Betty's back became full of pins and she wouldn't accept any petting.

Mari and Milli lost a lot of weight, and they were already small chickens, so we worried for awhile, but they still ate every once in awhile. They survived, although Milli gets really cold and needs to be held very often. Betty still got the worse molt, however. Before the pins came in she was naked in huge places. One side of her head, her butt, and her back were naked. She got into the habit to come inside during stretches of time because of the cold mist and rain we have had recently.

Penny didn't look as if she lost any feathers and all those fell out in five minutes.

We are really waiting on Opal to molt. Nearly all her feathers are broken in at least one place or have big nips out of them because she is the most bullied chicken. Why do chickens have to molt in the winter? Why not in the summer when they don't need the extra feathers?

Betty's butt became very naked.