Molting Chickens 101: When, Why, and Special Care

Are your chickens losing feathers? Don’t worry, it’s normal! (Well, most of the time it is anyways). Come learn everything you need to know about molting chickens.

This post will explore the ins and outs about the molting process with frequently asked questions about why and when chickens molt, how it affects their health (including egg-laying), and how to care for your chickens while they’re molting – including tips for wintertime. Then you can help them through this awkward, taxing time in the most healthy and comfortable manner possible!

Note: This article was originally published in September 2019.

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RELATED: Are you new to raising chickens? Don’t miss our popular guides on how to break a broody hen, save money with fermented chicken feed, or when chickens start laying eggs.

What is Molting?

Molting is a normal, natural process when chickens lose their old feathers to regrow fresh new ones. The turnover of feathers helps to keep them healthy, waterproof and warm. Some chickens lose nearly all their feathers at once while others molt in small, less noticeable patches.

Even though molting is natural, it can be quite taxing on their health, energy, and nutrient reserves. It can also be quite uncomfortable! That’s why your chickens will need some special care, treats, and TLC during this time – explained more to follow.

When Do Chickens Molt?

Most adult chickens molt once per year during the fall, starting sometime in September or October. However, it can vary from bird to bird as well as your location, starting as early as August or as late as November.

Hormones, along with the decrease in daylight hours, triggers the molting process so chickens can grow new fluffy feathers to keep them well-insulated and warm in the winter ahead. Some of our girls occasionally molt in the spring as well.

Baby chicks molt too! Chickens start to molt for the very first time when they’re only one week old, as they begin to lose their downy fluff and grow their first real feathers over the next several weeks. Young chickens aren’t considered “fully feathered” until they’re about 8 weeks old.

Then over the next six months, juvenile chickens molt several more times, almost constantly turning over feathers as they rapidly grow in size. It’s an extra messy time in the coop! Finally, the first adulthood molt usually begins at 15 to 18 months of age. That means young chickens (hatched in spring) may not molt their first fall.

Signs of Molting

In addition to losing feathers, there are a number of other signs that your chicken is molting.

• Molting chickens are usually less active than normal. They often lay around more, conserving their precious energy – and perhaps because they’re unconformable.
• New pin feathers will be visible growing in the place of old feathers, sticking out of the skin almost like porcupine quills.
• Molting chickens may also eat and poop less since their metabolism usually slows down.
• Their combs and wattles will likely shrink and become dull pink instead of large and bright red.
• Last but not least, molting chickens usually stop laying eggs.

Other reasons chickens lose feathers

Besides molting, there are several other causes of feather loss in chickens, including but not limited to: frequent rooster mounting, bullying or feather plucking by other members of the flock, self-plucking (especially broody hens), nutrient deficiencies, and parasites like lice or poultry mites.

If your chicken is losing feathers at an odd time of year, or isn’t showing common signs consistent with molting, rule out other causes by observing flock behavior and carefully inspecting their feathers for parasites. It’s easiest to look for lice and mites once they’re in the coop after dark. Check carefully around their vent feathers with a flashlight (a common place for mites).

RELATED: Help prevent parasites and keep your chickens feathers full and healthy by providing a good chicken dust bath for your flock.

Molting and Egg-Laying

Hens usually take a break and stop laying eggs while they are molting. Triggered by hormones, it’s a natural self-defense mechanism to conserve energy and nutrients to stay healthy and focus on feather growth instead.

Chickens should resume laying eggs within a few weeks after finishing their molt. However, hens lay fewer eggs during the shorter, darker days of winter, which also coincides with the end of molting season. Therefore, some of your chickens may not lay eggs for many months!

A sudden decrease in egg production can actually be a signal that molting season is about to begin, sometimes occurring weeks before you even observe any feather loss. Always pay attention to your chickens egg-laying behaviors since a halt in laying can also signal potential health issues too, like being egg bound.

Because they aren’t laying eggs, molting chickens will eat less calcium (e.g. oyster shells or crushed eggshells) during this time too. However, free-choice calcium should remain available for those that are still actively laying, and it’s ready and waiting when the molting hens return to laying as well.

How to Care for Molting Chickens

The best way to help molting chickens stay healthy and regrow feathers more quickly is to offer them extra protein. Feathers are made up of almost pure protein (the same type found in human hair and nails) so growing new ones requires more protein than chickens normally need in their diet. See a list of protein-rich treats below.

While chickens are molting, try not to pick them up or otherwise handle them unless necessary. They can’t tell us exactly how it feels, but it’s believed that molting can be quite uncomfortable or even painful. Also avoid creating extra stress – such as introducing new chickens to a flock during this time. See tips about caring for molting chickens during cold winter weather in the next section.

How to give molting chickens extra protein:

• Provide protein-rich treats such as scrambled eggs, canned tuna, dried mealworms or grubs, or seedy treat blocks. Get our homemade flock block recipe here! Black oil sunflower seeds (aka BOSS) are another excellent source of protein for chickens. Even better, they contain methionine, an important amino acid that helps birds grow feathers. Try to offer protein treats at least a few times per week or even daily.
  
  
• Some folks switch chicken feed during molting season, from a layer feed to a higher-protein grower or broiler feed. Normal layer feed contains about 16% protein, while molting chickens will benefit from a diet of up to 20% protein. Avoid making a sudden change in feed however. Instead, slowly mix the feeds together over the course of a week – gradually increasing the ratio of new feed to current feed. Follow the same transition when you switch back.
  
  
• Don’t be alarmed if you see your chickens eating fallen feathers too. They are a great source of protein, after all! However, feather-eating can also be a sign they’re not getting adequate protein elsewhere in their diet.

Molting During Winter

In an ideal world, your chickens will molt in the fall when the temperatures are still moderately comfortable. However, this may not always be the case! If you live in a climate that experiences harsh, freezing winters, and also have molting chickens on your hands, it can be a little extra stressful – for everyone involved! They just lost part of their natural down jacket after all.

Do keep feeding them their extra protein to encourage quicker feather growth. Do not put a sweater on a molting chicken! Remember, they’re already uncomfortable and don’t want to be touched. A sweater will only make it worse.

Inside the coop, provide additional insulation like layers of straw or wood shavings. Ensure there are no cold drafts blowing through. Another tip is to tuck the molting chickens between larger, fully-feathered birds at night. There’s nothing like a group cuddle to stay warm. In extreme situations, you could consider heating your coop with a radiant heat plate – but always follow safety precautions!

RELATED: Learn 10 important ways to take care of chickens during cold winter weather, including how to winterize the coop, prevent frostbite, keep water from freezing and more.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

What to do with molted chicken feathers?

When I see chicken feathers, I see one thing: free fertilizer. In addition to being protein-rich, feathers are also very high in nitrogen – a key element for growing healthy plants. That’s why “feather meal” fertilizer is a common garden soil amendment. So don’t let those feathers go to waste!

We leave a lot of our flock’s lost feathers on the ground to decompose in place and feed the fruit trees and other plants in the yard. On the other hand, I like to scoop up the massive amounts of feathers that collect in the coop and run to add to our DIY compost bin or vermicomposting bin. Similarly, I gather up any large piles that form in the yard, such as those that get blown into a corner together. 

There are a lot of other special ways to use your chickens fallen feathers! Collect the nicest ones to make Christmas ornaments, earrings, masks, dream catchers, feather wreaths, or other keepsakes to honor your flock.

And that is the scoop on molting.

Don’t worry! With time and a little help from you, your chickens will be back to their normal selves in no time. Actually, they’ll be even fluffier, fuller, and prettier than before… better than new! I hope you found this article to be useful and informative. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.

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• 10 Ways to Keep Chickens Cool During Hot Summer Weather or Heat Waves
• Chickens Eating Eggs? 9 Ways to Prevent or Stop It
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