Moulting chickens: why it happens and how you can help.

One day your chickens look fit and healthy. Next day their feathers have gone. What's going on?

If this is happening in autumn or early winter, there's a good chance your chickens are moulting.

Moulting is a completely natural part of their annual cycle.

How to tell when a chicken is starting to moult.

As the moult begins, you may notice that plumage looks dull and generally untidy. You're also likely to see...

• Feathers everywhere! Your garden, run and coop suddenly look as though a feather pillow has burst all over them.

• Patchy feather loss. Some chickens develop very obvious bare spots, while others moult much more gradually.

• New pin feathers. As replacement feathers begin to grow, you'll see small, quill-like shafts appearing through the skin. We'll look at those in more detail below.
• Egg production drops. Hens commonly lay fewer eggs, or stop laying altogether, during the moult.

• Changes in behaviour. Some chickens become quieter or less sociable while moulting, and may be reluctant to be handled particularly while the new pin feathers are growing. 

At what age and how often do chickens moult?

• Baby chicks lose and replace their fluffy down and juvenile feathers several times are they grow. These early feather changes are all part of normal development rather than the annual adult moult.

• Young chickens don't necessarily moult during their first autumn. Depending on when they hatched, their first full moult may not happen until the following year.

• Mature chickens generally have just one moult each year, most commonly in later summer or autumn, as daylight hours shorten.
• September is when I have most commonly seen my flock begin to moult, although timing can vary considerably between individuals.

How long does moulting take?

Chickens are not machines! So they don't all moult to the same time schedule. Even birds in the same flock may start and finish at quite different times.

A complete natural moult can take several months, although the most dramatic period of feather loss may be much shorter. In my experience, some chickens get through it quite quickly while others replace their plumage much more slowly.

So don't worry just because one chicken is taking longer than another. the important thing is that new feathers are starting to appear, and that she otherwise seems healthy.

Is moulting painful for chickens?

Shedding feathers as part of a normal moult should not be painful. but growing the replacement feathers can make chickens uncomfortable, and sensitive to touch.

That's because new feathers begin life as "pin feathers", also sometimes called "blood feathers". At this stage, the developing feather has a blood supply running through its shaft.

As those pin feathers start to emerge, your chicken will begin to look a bit like a porcupine. They're sensitive at this stage, so avoid unnecessary handling. If you do need to pick up a moulting chicken, handle her very gently and put as little pressure on the emerging feathers as possible.

This is a photo of another of my Wyandotte hens as she began growing back her feathering. You can see how dark the short "pin" or "blood" feathers are.

As the feather matures, the blood supply recedes and the protective sheath around it gradually flakes away.

Use your judgement to decide whether a hen may be more sensitive to handling than usual.

What if a pin feather bleeds?

Because those emerging pin feathers contain blood, if they are damaged or broken they can bleed, sometimes more than you might expect.

If you notice blood, check the chicken carefully to find where it's coming from. Blood and damaged skin can attract pecking from other chickens, so it's important to prevent the injury from becoming worse.

For minor superficial bleeding, just clean the area and keep a close eye on it. If other chickens continue to peck, separate the injured bird temporarily so that she can still see and hear the flock while the injury heals. A dog crate is a good solution here.

If the bleeding is persistent or heavy, or the feather looks badly damaged, contact your veterinarian for advice.

Do clipped wing feathers grow back after moulting?

If you've previously clipped a chicken's wings to prevent her from flying into danger, remember that those clipped feathers will grow back during a subsequent moult.

Once the new feathers grow in she'll have a full set again, and may regain the flying you were trying to restrict.

Once the new feathers have grown, reassess the situation. Is this still a chicken who is likely to fly somewhere unsafe?

If not, there's no reason to clip the new feathers. If wing clipping is still necessary for her safety, you will need to clip them again.

Never clip a developing pin or blood feather. While the feather is growing, cutting its active blood supply can cause pain and significant bleeding. Wait until the flight feathers are fully mature before considering clipping.

Do chickens lay eggs when they moult?

Egg production usually drops significantly during the moult. Many hens stop laying altogether.

But that's not an absolute rule. Some hens may continue to lay an occasional egg (my Red Stars usually did) but a drop in egg numbers is complewtely normal during the moulting process.

Once the moult is complete laying may pick up again, although shortening daylight hours can mean some hens don't return to laying until the days begin to lengthen again.

What to feed moulting chickens?

Growing a new set of feathers places extra nutritional demands on a chicken. Feathers are made mostly from Keratin, a protein, so a supply of high quality protein is particularly important during the moult.

But the best place to start is not with lots of high protein treats! Instead, a good quality, nutritionally balanced chicken feed should be the main part of their diet throughout the moult.

I do also give my flock some protein-rich foods, but in moderation. It adds a bit of variety to their diet as well as some extra protein while they grow their new plumage. 

Always remember, though, that treats should never replace the balanced feed chickens need.

What protein-rich foods can you give to moulting chickens?

Good quality sources of protein include...

• sunflower seeds (especially if you grow them yourself!), although they're heavy on fat too, so a handful only, as an occasional treat.
• mealworms are very protein-rich, and chickens adore them!
• fish, but avoid heavily salted, seasoned or processed fish. Take a look at my easy, inexpensive fish treat for chickens
• my protein platter recipe, made from items you're likely to have in stock
• and try sprouting your own seeds for an inexpensive fresh treat.

For more high protein foods that are good for your flock, see this article.

Don't forget water!

Good nutrition isn't the only thing that matters during the moult. Make sure your flock always has easy access to plenty of clean, fresh water.

Check waterers regularly and keep them clean. A moulting chicken doesn't need special additives in her water simply because she's moulting. Fresh, clean water is what matters most.

How can you help a moulting chicken?

Moulting is a natural process, and most chickens will get through it without any special treatment. But there are a few simple things you can do to make life a little easier while those new feathers grow.

• Handle them gently. Developing pin feathers are sensitive, so avoid unnecessary handling until the new feathers have matured.
• Keep life as settled as possible. If you can, avoid introducing new chickens or making major changes to the flock while they're moulting. There's no need to make an already demanding period more complicated.
• Watch for bullying. Keep an especially close eye on chickens lower in the pecking order. Bare skin and developing feathers can be vulnerable to pecking, so intervene if a moulting bird is being picked on.
• Continue your normal health checks. Moulting can make a chicken look decidedly sorry for herself, but don't automatically assume that every change is caused by the moult. If a chicken seems genuinely unwell, investigate rather than putting it down to feather loss.

And please – no sweaters! 🧶

A bedraggled, moulting chicken may look as though she needs a cute little knitted jumper to keep her warm but please, resist the temptation.

Clothing can rub against sensitive developing pin feathers, causing discomfort and potentially damaging them.

A healthy moulting chicken needs good shelter from bad weather, not a sweater!

If you found this article helpful, you may find these useful, too.

Sources.

A lot of "facts" you'll find on the internet are often people's individual views, based on inaccurate information repeated from poor quality sources.

The information I provide in this article and others is based not just on my own experience, but on evidenced facts from scientific, peer-reviewed research and books from highly respected and experienced poultry keepers such as Gail Damerow.

Some of the trusted sources I have used in this article are these.

1. Mingke, Y, et al: The developmental biology of feather follicles. Pub. Department of Pathology, Cell and Neurobiology, University of Southern California.

2. Andrews, D.K., et al: "Effect of Lighting Program and Nutrition on Feather Replacement of Molted Single Comb White Leghorn Hens". Pub. Journal of Poultry Science, 1987.

3. Hoshino, S, et al: Changes in thyroxine and triiodothyronine during spontaneous molt in the hen, Gallus domesticus. Pub. Journal of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 1988.