# Weight Fluctuations During Heavy Molt



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm posting this more as an interest survey than as an actual question, so I hope lots of people answer. 

Twice now, we've observed Roo losing 5-8 grams during the heaviest part of her molt, and then gaining it all back within about a week after the molt finishes. The first time it happened, we thought she was sick. This time, we thought the loss was due to her new lower-calorie diet, until she gained it all back the minute the molt was over.

So, after our discussion last week in which I did some reading which indicated that molting could increase a bird's metabolism by up to 30%, I'm wondering if this is a common pattern.

Does anyone else who keeps a log of their birds' weight observe a loss during molting, followed by a quick gain back to baseline? If not, are there other cyclical times that you notice fluctuations like this? My inner scientist wants to know.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I think Taz is about to break out into a molt..I'll try to keep tabs on him but I'm only there to weigh twice a week.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Well this was with weekly weighings, so that should be good enough. 

In February, Roo was 92g at the vet.
Two weeks ago she was 84g, which we attributed to the lower calorie diet.
Last week she was 86g, which I thought was normal fluctuation.

This morning she was 91g, and I went "OMG are you going to lay an egg?!" But I don't think so, because she's not acting extra nesty or anything like that. Plus you may remember in the fall when she suddenly went from 78 to 83 right after finishing a molt, I thought the same thing. So I'm starting to think it's not a coincidence.


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## Indigobug1987 (Feb 18, 2012)

I don't have any weight info to offer but I definately noticed that my bird lost weight after he began molting. I noticed this because my bird was thin when i got it and when i finially got him nice and thick he started molting and is slightly thin again.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

I need to get a battery for my scale! Grey is molting now. Tons of pin feathers and he looks littler than usual, but eating normally and playing normally. I bet this is right on.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Back in the days when I was studying and documenting (either digitally or in notebooks) everything I noticed that ALL my birds had a slight weight loss ranging from 5-10 grams during a molt, ad regained it towards the end of the molt or shortly afterwards. And the same was true and a first alert to a hen that is going to lay, there will be a sudden weight gain of 5-6 grams.


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