Skip to content
Intermediate3-4 months

Moulting Season Care Guide

Learn moulting season care from scratch with a clear step-by-step workflow, recommended tools, safety guidelines, and expert tips.

experienced falconersraptor keepers

Workflow

  1. Recognize Molt Onset

    1 week

    Identify increased feather drop, pin feathers, and behavior changes signaling moult start.

  2. Adjust Feeding Regime

    season

    Increase food slightly — growing feathers demand protein; maintain hydration and bath access.

  3. Reduce Stress and Handling

    season

    Limit manning and hunting; protect pin feathers from damage during active growth.

  4. Monitor Regrowth

    season

    Track replacement feather sequence; note any retained feathers or asymmetry needing vet attention.

Checklist

0 / 8 completed

Loading your checklist…

Planning

Preparation

Safety

Execution

Quality

Documentation

Reference Materials

Molt SequenceStandard

Feathers replace in paired sequence — asymmetrical loss may indicate stress or nutrition issue.

Protein DemandFormula

Feather mass ≈ 10% body protein reserve — increase ration 10–20% during peak molt.

Molt StagesTable

Care adjustments by phase.

PhaseFeedActivity
Early dropNormal+Light manning
Pin growthHigh proteinMinimal
Hard penNormalResume training

  • Blood Feathers

    Broken pin feathers bleed profusely — apply pressure and consult vet if does not stop.

  • Imping

    Broken flight feather may need imping by experienced falconer or vet.

  • Insecticide

    Never spray mews during molt — feathers absorb toxins.

Safety Notes

  • Suspend hunting until new flight feathers fully hardened.
  • Avoid dog attacks and fence collisions during weakened flight period.

Related Scenarios

Explore related topics

Falconry