New plumage please
Complete moulting
Molting is an annually recurring process in which the chickens gradually change their plumage. This usually takes place in late summer and/or fall, when the days get shorter. It usually lasts one to two months. When a hen is in moult, she no longer lays eggs. Especially towards the end of the period, she needs all her energy to form new feathers.
If chickens hatch at an unnatural time of year, e.g. through artificial breeding, it can happen that they moult at an “impossible” time. This is very bad for the animals concerned, especially if this happens in winter. Imagine standing outside all day in -10°C wearing only your underwear.
The plumage is completely replaced, so it may have slightly different markings or structures afterwards, which is completely normal. Good health is required for the moulting process to run smoothly. It is best if a chicken loses a lot of feathers very quickly and replaces them just as quickly.
Overall, moulting is a serious impairment: The comb and wattles shrink and fade as well. Your chickens may also look a little sickly. A lot of energy and protein is needed to build up the new plumage. For this reason, it is better to feed your birds a higher protein diet during the moulting period than during the laying season.
Neck moult
In addition to the usual moult, chickens – especially pullets – sometimes suffer from neck moult. As the name suggests, the change of feathers in neck moult is limited to the neck region. Here, too, the affected animals stop laying.
The cause of this phenomenon is that the pullets have started laying eggs too early. Their organism is not yet fully grown and not yet prepared for egg production, so that it is overstressed. The affected pullets have usually been fed laying feed too early.