Worst molt I've seen

[Happy]

I find that the young birds are usually not that obvious molters in wyandottes anyway, but older they get longer it takes for the new feathers to come in.
Older I get more I understand it

Both of these girls are 16 months old so this is their first seasonal molt! I sure hope it doesnt get worse for them as they age

[Ontario Chick]

Oh no, perhaps a first timer enthusiasm?

[WLLady]

i have at least 30 in various states of "disrepair". feather explosion in the barn in the last week. i mean, the feathers are making drifts and blowing out of the barn when i open the doors! argh! feeding cat food to try and get them back feathered before winter, and of course moulting means no eggs....freeloading slackers. I do believe they're trying to tell us something....my horses are already shaggy, the chickens are almost naked...the turkeys are moulting too. i think we may have a cold winter coming.

[Kbr42]

Cat food? Wet or dry?

[Killerbunny]

So here are some pics of one of my poor turkey girls. Only just starting to get feathers back. I don't know what is up but this year has to be the worst year for moults I've ever seen. Also very slow to get feathers back.

@Kbr42 I used dry cat food soaked but my current princesses don't like it!

[KimChick]

Oh my gosh! Yes, she deserves some cushiness to help her through that molt.

[Happy]

I have seen some of the worst molts of my chickening lifetime this fall!. I think I only have one more to go-Stella the baldy chick just started dropping feathers last night. This past weekend I took a green recycling bag out to the coop to scoop up handfuls of feathers. Feathers are listed as acceptable material for our county green bin program so I decided to send them off. To my surprise i filled a bag!
If you're ever bored have a peek on Etsy at the prices we could be getting for "naturally shed" feathers. We are all sitting on gold mines!

[Kbr42]

@Killerbunny that is pretty impressive, poor thing. I too have feathers everywhere! At least it is warming up. But seriously, what a craszy time to drop feathers!

[Ontario Chick]

Well, I must say they look better then my 5 naked hens......
I tried the aprons @Killerbunny lend me, but they figured out how to take them off, so naked they stay until they grow something.
Glad next week looks OK for temperatures.

[Killerbunny]

I would only use aprons in the breeding season or to stop sunburn in a summer/fall moult. If you use them too much it can impede the feather growth by blocking follicles.