Order of Moulting in Layers

Correct Answer: Head, neck, breast, body, wings, tail

Moulting in poultry follows a predictable top-to-bottom order, progressing from the head downward to the tail feathers.

Order of Feather Shedding (1st → Last)

1. Head (first)
2. Neck
3. Breast
4. Body
5. Wings
6. Tail (last)

This natural sequence is the same in all chickens. Understanding the order helps poultry farmers identify whether a bird is an early or late moulter, and thereby assess laying quality. Late moulters lose primary wing feathers from the outer to inner direction quickly, and their moulting process is shorter (about 6 weeks), while early moulters take 3–4 months.