Contrary to the famous words of Iago from Aladdin, birds do not molt out of anger. We continue to learn new things every day about farm-life. Molting appears to be a normal part of the chicken's cycle. The other day we noticed a lot of white feathers in the chicken fence, which from experience causes us to panic and do a head count. All 14 girls were accounted for, but the one Colombian looked rather rough. She looked as though someone had been plucking her bum. After research, it appears that around 1 year old, all chickens molt. This process helps to create a fresh coat of feathers and during this time they also stop laying eggs while their reproductive tract rejuvenates. (This explains to lack of egg laying lately). During molting, chickens need extra protein to help with these processes, so each morning the girls have been getting a cup of sunflower seeds, much to their delight. Nothing makes one smile more than a half-naked chicken. Here are some humorous photos.
