It feels as if the girls have been moulting forever this year. Seramas are supposed to moult a few feathers at a time all year round rather than have a big annual moult. Well Emerald is doing a good impression of a serama moult as she has been moulting a bit at the time since June.
And the seramas are doing a good impression of a big annual moult or at least Freckles and Cinnamon are. Emerald has been dropping tail feathers over the last few weeks and has no tail at the moment. Freckles is almost feathered up back to normal and Cinnamon is tatty and two tone in feather colour.
Freckles is looking good
She looks almost back to normal with just some little feathers sticking up around her head.
Emerald has no tail
She also has some pins on her head.
Dandelion is looking good
There are just a few pins remaining on her head.
Speckles
She doesn’t seem to change much but even she is still dropping the odd feather.
Apricot is looking good
She turned her head away just as I took this but it shows her feathers so I kept it. She also just has a few pins on her head.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has the most pins on her head and still has a way to go yet as she has lots of ragged tail feathers. Her breast has filled in though and her feathers seem to be two toned at the moment with darker feathers on her wings.
I wonder if it’s Emerald’s age that has caused such a long moult this year. I don’t remember her ever taking this long over it before. It seems with seramas that the straight feathered girls have a proper moult whereas the other feather types do seem to be more gradual.
It will be interesting to see how it goes next year. I am looking forward to having all the girls fully feathered again and won’t miss picking up the feathers every day. I am sure they will soon be pristine once more.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Nice pictures.
Thank you. Not always easy because the girls are never still.
Emerald seems to have been going on for ever – I really thought that she was through it. Tubby, one of my white silkies, is now moulting, having snapped out of a 6-week spell of broodiness and Cotton was on the perch this evening, for the first time in over 2 months, so no doubt she’ll have at least a mini-moult. 2 more broody now and am just waiting for Butterscotch, who is looking resplendent and laying superbly well – will try and send you a photo.
You are right that Emerald has been going on forever. I too thought she was through it until her tail feathers started dropping out.
At least I have no broodies to worry about. I would love a photograph.
Such pretty hens. Ours are all ex-bats, so are gorgeous in lots of ways but all look pretty much the same!
A chicken missing her tail does look a little strange – poor Emerald.
Tx
One of the things that I love about seramas is that they can all look so different with a variety of colours and feather types. I always think a chicken without a tail looks quite peculiar. The tail feathers grow back quite quickly though compared to some of the other feathers. Emerald will soon be back to her beautiful self again.