After the feather pulling problem, months ago, the girls are finally getting feathers back in. I know they may molt soon but am not sure if the new feathers would fall out or if they would keep them. It would be so nice to see the girls with a complete set of feathers again. Pepper has had a bare bottom all summer but at last her feathers are coming back.
Pepper has new feathers on her bottom
Dotty’s head feathers are coming in but her neck is still bare, although there is an odd feather coming.
Dotty has new feathers on her head
Bluebell is still missing neck feathers and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of them coming in yet. Her missing feathers are less noticeable though.
Bluebell by the water
Bluebell takes a drink
Amber is missing the most feathers out of the two little girls. The little girls were only hatched late last summer so I doubt they would molt this year. They only started laying eggs at the end of May. This may mean that Amber will look like this for a long time which is a shame. Amber is also missing the top round part of her comb from when she was pecked.
Amber’s missing feathers at the side of her head
Honey is missing a few feathers but not as many as Amber.
Honey
Honey
Honey has a complete comb and is only missing a few feathers around her face. Amber, behind Honey, is missing some feathers from her neck.
I am not looking forward to the first molt but I am so looking forward to having my girls fully feathered again.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Of course they might not moult ..I am 2 and 3 years in and mine have never moulted .Clover lost a few feathers last year but it was not enough to fill an envelope . You might be lucky . I always think it is odd that they lose their feathers in the winter when they need them and keep them in the summer when they don’t! I know why of course but the timing seems odd to me .
I hadn’t thought that they might not molt. That would be good. I too have always thought it odd that they lose feathers in winter. I think they don’t lose them in summer because in the natural world they would be looking after their chicks.