No matter how long one has cared for backyard chickens, every year brings new surprises.
Farmers tending to their flock as the days begin getting darker and colder may be surprised to visit the coop and see feathers scattered everywhere as one chicken looks particularly bald and red. Though the gut reaction may be to worry the hen or rooster was attacked, the bird could be undergoing a hard molt.
Molting is a yearly process that occurs in chickens typically over the age of 18 months where plumage is shed and re-grown. The process can last anywhere from three to 16 weeks, depending on the breed. Hard molting is a more drastic version of the process that can be accompanied by a variety of problems for the chicken, including discomfort and pain, limited mobility and potential for increased pecking by other birds.
Hadassah DeJack-Reynolds, executive director of Tikkun Olam Farm Sanctuary in Southern Oregon which specializes in chickens, said hard molts most commonly occur in chickens that have been bred for high egg production such as sex links and Rhode Island reds.
While usually a natural process, molts can be triggered by outside stressors as well. Those include lack of light, illness, dehydration, food, stress and broodiness (when a hen instinctually sits on a clutch of eggs).
“Those hard molts are so difficult for their little bodies,” said DeJack-Reynolds, later adding, “Feathers don’t grow like hair. If the feather gets damaged or broken it’s not going to heal until it molts out. That new feather will have a blood supply … those are super uncomfortable as they come in.”
So, when a chicken is looking particularly gnarly all of a sudden, what should its caretaker do? DeJack-Reynolds weighed in by advising the bird will likely be in pain, so any next steps should be taken gently with great care not to handle the hen or rooster more than necessary.
First and foremost, she said, don’t put a sweater on your bird. While it may be cute or something popular on Pinterest, this can be painful for the chicken and interferes with their natural ability to raise and lower their own feathers for temperature regulation.
During a molt, birds need more protein in their diets to support feather production. DeJack-Reynolds said one of the ways bird owners can support their chickens during a molt is to feed game bird diets from commercial feed with a 20-22% protein guarantee. These can typically be found at local feed stores.
Other supplemental treats can support increased protein, including black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms and other grub, sprouts and even feeding eggs back to the chickens, along with the broken eggshells, if the flock is still laying. Farmers with mixed flocks, she said, should be careful not to let non-molting roosters have access to the high-protein food, however, as too much protein has been shown to increase liver problems for roosters.
Another step DeJack-Reynolds emphasized was to limit any potential stressors for the bird, which include changes of environment. If a molting hen is getting picked on, she said it may be appropriate to give her a fenced off area alone, but only if she is in the same location as the rest of her flock or if she is isolated with a friend.
“You don’t want to change their environment too much, separate her with her friend,” DeJack-Reynolds said. “Remember, they are flock animals.”
During particularly cold weather, flock owners may worry their molting bird is not warm enough. If this is a concern, she recommended using coop heaters and avoiding red overhanging light bulbs typically used for warming chicks.
“Those are the number one cause of coop fires. Any fire department will tell you not to use those,” DeJack-Reynolds said.
Why does one chicken undergo a hard molt while others do not? It’s hard to know for sure, she said. Genetics play a part, but unusual seasons such as early cold or late warmth can prompt molts.
The last tip DeJack-Reynolds recommended is to cease all deworming processes until the entire flock is finished molting. Some dewormers, she said, can cause damage to feathers, thereby prolonging the already-uncomfortable process.
On the rare occasion a molt does prompt a separation of chickens, it is best to reintroduce birds to the flock at nighttime to avoid conflict.
Learn more about caring for backyard birds online at agr.wa.gov/departments/animals-livestock-and-pets/avian-health.
