I recently noticed that there are a lot of feathers in the chicken run shared by my four hens. For a few days prior to this one of the hens had been very docile but has now perked up. The amount of feathers in the run was very similar to the amount of feathers you see when a bird has been killed by a cat. These feathers all seem to be coming from the hen that had been docile (who is around 15 months old).

Is this a molt or something completely different?

-- Aidan Earley (aidanearley@aol.com), July 20, 2001

Answers

Response to Rapid Feather Loss

I believe it is molt. I've noticed mine do not have their usual appetite and a lot of feathers on the ground. Also my egg production is down. It could be a combination of 100 degree heat we're having plus molt.

-- Russell Hays (rhays@sstelco.com), July 20, 2001.

Response to Rapid Feather Loss

Sounds like a moult. Moisten some cat food and give as a treat. The extra protein in the cat food will give them a boost growing their new plumage. :-)

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), July 20, 2001.