How To Treat Chickens In Moulting 

If you're new to poultry you might panic when the house and yard are scattered with feathers and the flock is very bedraggled looking. Disease or Fox attack? When this occurs in late summer or autumn, it's likely to be the annual moult.

Moulting is when birds shed tatty old feathers and regrow complete new plumage. Even the scales on legs and feet are shed and renewed. All birds moult and regrow plumage annually, not just domestic poultry. Those migrating to far-off countries need new feathers to help them on the journey. 

Broken, damaged wing feathers wouldn't get them far. Domestic poultry moult so they can face the cold winter months with thick, insulating plumage. Before reaching adulthood, growing fowls will have shed and regrown feathers several times. 

TRIGGERS FOR MOULTING 

Moulting is triggered by decreasing day length and its effect on hormones in the endocrine system, including the ovary, thyroid and pituitary glands. Declining day length initiates a complex physiological process that reduces the activity of the reproductive system, slowing down and finally stopping egg lay. 

An old rule of thumb was that when the wing feathers were shed, laying would cease altogether. Premature moulting is brought on at any time due to major stresses in the bird's life and environment. 

FEATHER DROP 

The old feathers are messaged to shed by the growth of new feathers, the feather follicle gently easing the old feathers out. This doesn't happen randomly. Nature is organised and feathers from particular areas are shed together. 

Feather loss commences with the head and neck, feathers on the back of the neck preceding those at the front.Then feathers on the back, breast, fluff and thighs are shed with the remaining body, wing and tail feathers following. 

Generally, the moult of body feathers precedes those of the tail and wings by several days, with primary wing drop a few days prior to secondary feathers starting to fall out.

Some hens will still be laying when primary feathers are shed, but lay ceases once secondary a feather, individual feather shape and tail feathers begin to drop.It's a big ask on resources for a hen to lay and regrow her complete plumage at the same time. 

"A balanced, high-protein ration, oily seeds, green feed and protection from spiteful pen mates may be required. That's not a big task" 

DURATION OF MOULTING

Tremendous variation exists in the duration of moulting. Early moulters can spin the process out for several  months, dropping individual feathers and so never appearing half naked. 

The late moulters shed three to four feathers at once, so the moulting-regrowth process seems speedy. Should a hen be still laying when  head and neck feathers begin to drop,new fether growth will be slowed down.

It actually takes a minimum of six weeks for the complete growth of a fether individual father shape having little effect on rate of growth.When small flock owners want to reduce bird numbers, they invariably cull the shabby, broken -fethered bird. 

sadly, they have been fooled by appearances; the glossy-looking hen in February or March is a poor layer as she has put her resources into fether regrowth, not eggs. The hen that's in and out of the nest daily ends up with broken feathers - she's putting her  resources totally into egg production.  

As for out-of-season moulting, it's weather extremes that mainly trigger it, or deprivation of food or water. Most times, just the head and neck feathers will be shed. When a complete moult occurs you know the stress has been very high.  

 

"Its common for fast-shedding fowls to hide or mope around, and this is likely to be due to inadequate nutrition. The fowls are forced to break down their own body tissue in an effort to support feather growth and so lose weight" 

    

FOOD FOR FEATHERING 

Autumn or pre-moulting is not the time to put fowls on a subsistence diet - it's when their nutritional needs are at their greatest. A high-protein ration will enable feathers to grow quickly and, while it won't alter the duration of the moulting period, it will improve feather quality. 

Feather growth is underway before moulting occurs.Remember, the feathers are pushed out by the emergence of feather follicles, so introduce the high-protein ration before feather loss.What about a protein supplement? Apparently keratin. 

the protein in feathers, is totally different from the protein in feed and body tissue. What influences keratin most is the sulphur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine and synthesis of folic acid and pyridoxine. These are supplied at the correct levels in proprietary feed.

Mopey moulters? It's common for fast-shedding fowls to hide or mope around, and this is likely to be due to inadequate nutrition. The fowls are forced to break down their own body tissue in an effort to support feather growth and so lose weight. 

Kelp powder or granules are handy for hormone function; a light daily sprinkling on the birds' ration or moist feed can be implemented. Oil seeds, especially sunflower seed, will increase the intake of essential fatty acids, aiding the oil gland and feather quality. You can be generous with seeds in the lead-up and during moulting. 

Linseed is an important source of linoleic acid and essential fatty acids but should never be fed raw to poultry. Old timers boiled it up in water and fed the cooled gelatinous mixture because it improved feather quality and lustre. 

Anti-nutritional factors in raw linseeds are dangerous for poultry. Green feed is also advantageous, it has a range of key vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A and pigments like xanthophylls that have antioxidants to support growth and health. Fresh is best. 

KINDNESS AND CARE 

The late moulters that are superior layers can become uncharacteristically dippy or anxious. Even roosters can be found hiding in corners or under infrastructure, especially when their tail feathers fall out. Moulting is clearly a taxing time when a bird's balance may be lost or they're easily chilled and their altered appearance lowers their status, making them easy prey for bullying. 

A balanced, high-protein ration, oily seeds, green feed and protection from spiteful penmates may be required. That's not a big ask. Weigh it up against the eggs. manure and garden work the flock happily supply. Oh, and there are all those feathers. Think of the exercise raking them up.