[L 11OBS]

When a hen starts to moult where does it generally start?  One of my girls is beginning to look a little thread bare around the back of the neck and there's quite a few small feathers laying about, is she going into moult?

Will she not get cold if she goes into full moult, can I do anything to keep her warm apart from the warm porridge in the morning and corn in the evening which they already get.

[Vember]

I might be wrong but me thinks the moult starts with the head/neck area :?

I have read on here that the best layers moult fast ie loose at lot of feathers from all areas in one go.
Also reading through books I have found the same is said for birds who moult late
As for getting cold, well I have one who still looks rather tatty and she's coping well with the nasty cold wind, rain & hail we've had. She just goes & hides in the bushes  

What age is your hen ??


Sarah

[L 11OBS]

She's approx 30-32 weeks old and has been laying.

[Vember]

That's interesting, I would have thought that they wouldn't do a full moult until next year :?

I have since seeing your question found this article bare in mind it's Australian so their March /April is equivalent to our October/November ish
That said it is very interesting
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/217/moulting-a-natural-process

Sarah

[Foxy]

Probably just a mini moult, they do that sometimes just around the neck  area

[L 11OBS]

So it's possible it may be a partial moult then?

Thanks for the link

[L 11OBS]

Beat me to it Foxy