Why Do Chickens Molt?

Why do Chickens Molt?

Molting is the process carried out by the chicken by shedding all its feathers and renewing the feathers. The chicken during the molting process keeps the reproductive system in rest and do not lay eggs. During molting process the animal also improves its body nutrient reserves. Molting is the natural process which is performed to enable the animal to be able to prepare itself to be strength enough to escape from enemies by flying off. The molting will also help the animal to protect itself from cool conditions of the weather. Generally chicken undergo molting mostly before the cool weather begins.

In most of the types of chicken, the molting takes place once in a year and it can happen also twice in a year. The molt will occur for 3 months and sometimes will go up to 5 months. The duration of molting depends on the condition of the bird at the beginning of the process. Proper nutrition added to the drinking water given to the bird can make the process to go faster. Shorter day light is known to trigger the molting process.

To conserve the energy required to carry out molting process, the animal needs to divert all the energies used for laying eggs towards molting. So, it stops reproduction at this time. The chicken molts annually and is a regular process which is periodical. This is one of the reasons for molting. If the process exceeds for a long time there might be some more causes for it to occur. The reasons might be bullying by other chickens, poor living conditions, stress due to predators, short day and less light, any disease, lack of vegetation or due to uninteresting surroundings, and due to an affectionate rooster. The chicken that is considered as a target by the other breeds and is attacked by them might start shedding the feathers out of fear. One of the above causes might result in molting.