PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



Molting of Feathers 



This is the shedding of the feathers and the growth of a 

 new supply. Some birds molt twice a year, in the fall when 

 they put on their winter clothes preparatory to cold weather 

 and in the spring when they put on their breeding dress. 



As a rule, however, there is but one molt, in the fall of the 

 year, the change in plumage which occurs in the spring being 

 but an increase in coloring matter. During the winter the 

 plumage is often of a protective nature, resembling the spmber 

 colors of that season. Chickens and other domestic fowls 

 undergo a complete molt in the summer or fall. 



The growth of new feathers makes a severe drain upon 

 the vitality of a fowl. It must have a very important bearing 

 upon egg-production, for when a hen molts the surplus food 

 is required to make feathers, and egg-production naturally 

 ceases. Some hens molt so gradually and the draught upon 

 the vital forces is so moderate at any one time that they keep 

 on laying through a portion of the molt. Others seem to shed 

 their feathers in a day. Then follows a long period, in which 

 new feathers must be grown, and that means a period of rest 

 from egg-production. 



It is claimed that the early molter is the poor layer. This 

 is not necessarily so. To illustrate, a good laying pullet may 

 continue laying until early summer. She becomes broody 

 and, if allowed to sit too long, she loses flesh, in which con- 

 dition she is not able to resume egg-production. If such a 

 bird is broken of her broodiness and suddenly put on a heavy 

 nitrogenous diet she may be forced into an early molt. To 

 cull her from the flock for this reason would be unjust. 



It has been proved that the period of molting can be con- 

 trolled by the system of feeding. Hens that are put on a 

 starvation diet for two weeks and then fed heavily will often 

 molt out of season, even in midsummer. When the egg-ration 

 is withdrawn they cease to lay, when they cease laying they 

 begin to molt. It is also probable that the exact time of molt- 

 ing is affected by the time of hatching. Pullets hatched very 

 early usually molt in the fall. I have known March hatched 

 cockerels to molt in October. Pullets hatched late may miss 

 the fall molt but will molt the following summer and yet be 

 very good layers. To prevent the summer molt it is necessary 



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