Chickens can molt anytime, but mine usually do the big molts anywhere from October to February, so I guess molting now isn't out of the question. :) They generally don't lay while molting or growing back new feathers, as this takes lots of energy.

Mine don't all molt at the same time, and not everyone molts for sure every year. But in Oct.-Nov. it seemed to be the years' fashion fad to molt tails in my flock...things looked kinda funny out there for a while! *L*

Velvet ~:>

Mine didn't molt in the fall but I'm in a completely different zone than you are, so the timing might be different? I'm just asking because I have never seen them lose this many feathers at once before. The chickens, themselves, don't look bare, just feathers everywhere. At first I thought a predator had grabbed one of them, there were so many feathers in a big pile outside.

Oh well, it's generally warmer now, but not warm enough to hatch young ones yet, so I guess it's as good a time as any to molt. The laying has not slowed down at all.

Velvet, I talked to the people with the D'Anver banties. They don't want me to share their email address with anyone, as they're a little afraid of the internet. They will save me some eggs, if there are any before they sell them in mid April. If I get some, I'll send them to you. I have decided not to raise them, at least not right now, anyway. Here's hoping!

Very cool, thank you! :) I'd really love some. I'm getting some Serama eggs from seramas, he very kindly offered. I'm going to reset the incubator next week and start more eggs then for my daughter's Science Fair project.

You are more than welcome to either give my email to the folks with the D'Anvers eggs, or point them to my website, it's listed there as well. Please tell them I'd truly appreciate the eggs, and to let me know how much they want for them if they decide to go ahead and send some. I understand completely how careful you need to be about giving out personal info on the 'net. :)

Velvet ~:>