Photo Caption: Margot, the Wellsummer, went through an ugly molting season. (Journal photo by Lacey Vilhauer.) It’s fall, and your chicken coop looks like a massacre happened inside with the number of ...

Dec. 12—No matter how long one has cared for backyard chickens, every year brings new surprises. Farmers tending to their flock as the days begin getting darker and colder may be surprised to visit ...

While the average pet owner may be familiar with the seemingly never-ending tufts of fur shed by their cat or dog, the hobby farmer may be more familiar with another loss of overcoat — hen molting.

The chicken feather count in the coop and in their little yard is way up, presaging their annual molt. This was quite disturbing the first time around, as the hens lose their insulation at an alarming ...