Cockerel molt?

[Snadger]

I presume cockerels molt as well as hens? One of my cockerels is starting to look decidedly tatty arround its neck feathers at the mo. Was worried about the posibility of a run in with a rat? Starting to look a bit like a transalvanian naked neck!

[Nicos]

Both my boys completely lost all their tail feathers!!!
That was a bit of a shock!

[RichmondHens]

Yep - boys moult too, although it's done as a gradual thing rather than suddenly all over like the girls. Cocks without tails do look quite funny though (and a bit sad). They probably won't get on with "the business" when they are in moult either, or at least not as much.

[mr darcy]

Yep - boys moult too, although it's done as a gradual thing rather than suddenly all over like the girls. Cocks without tails do look quite funny though (and a bit sad). They probably won't get on with "the business" when they are in moult either, or at least not as much.

because the girls just laugh at them?

[Nicos]

Well its a bit difficult to strut your stuff when you've nothing to show off!!!
I thought there had been a bit of tail pulling at first. None of my chooks did major molts this time.
Nice big feathers to collect though- beautiful sheen to them!

Wish I'd taken a piccie now

[Apple Betty]

Mine lost his tail feathers and had a scraggy neck for a while - both growing back now though. Doesn't seem to have affected his libido though, he's always first or second out in the morning and stands waiting at the bottom of the ramp for his girls - obviously never tries it indoors!

[its hilly]

Well I thought I had feather eaters, then it finaly clicked that it was the boys moulting different to the girls. Got four 'manx' cockerals at the mo, doesnt seem to have affected their libido though Typical northern males, food and nookie are top of their brains