rick
Active member
I noticed this morning that the geese are molting on the riverbank. I found a smallish feather in the coop this week. Is the much anticipated event upon us!?
Molting time?
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dinosaw
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Very doubtful but not impossible, they normally moult from September into October so that they are re feathered and ready to go for the winter with a bit of variance either side, if moulting at all it is most likely to be a partial neck moult.
chrismahon
Well-known member
Some of ours are losing wing feathers now, so it will be a full moult brought on by the extremely high temperatures of late -a week of 29 -35C. Pullets may do a partial neck moult this time of year, but as Dinosaw says the usual time is Sept-Oct. You sometimes get a late one though who will shed all their feathers in late November!
Worth having a quick check for lice or mites Rick.
Worth having a quick check for lice or mites Rick.
I would think it's possible that goose feathers on the river bank in early June were either plucked for use in nest building, or perhaps the result of an attack which left feathers in its wake.
rick
Active member
Cheers. So far as the geese go they are definitely dropping their pinions, there's poo and pinions everywhere a few metres from the river edge. I collected a good few from the same spot to make fletching for my arrows (my other hobby.)
Will check for lice/mites this evening.
Looking forward to the chooks getting new feathers and fixing my rash attempt at clipping last year.
Will check for lice/mites this evening.
Looking forward to the chooks getting new feathers and fixing my rash attempt at clipping last year.
You may find that they don't completely moult the clipped primaries, Nick. I only ever clipped two of my first hens, both hybrids, and they just seemed not to be able to shift those feathers. I shall be interested to hear how you get on with yours.
