Ptitsegradskaya, Sergiev Posad-11, Moscow Province, 141300 Russia, e-mail fisinin@vnitip.ru A b s t r a c t Plumage is a characteristic feature of birds. <...> Feathering as a cutaneous derivative is a complex structure with specific mechanism of formation. <...> Functions of plumage are thermal regulation, mechanical protection of bird’s body and flight. <...> Color and form of feathers in different parts of the bird’s body could also serve as sexual characteristics. <...> Molting in adult birds depends on season of a year, age of birds and management conditions as well. <...> The process of molting is closely associated with reproductive function. <...> A change in management conditions can induce full or partial molting in chicken, ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea fowl. <...> Stress factors can also induce molting thus affecting the productive cycle in poultry. <...> The change of feathering occurs as a result of altered interactions between endocrine glands of the body including pituitary, thyroid and sex glands. <...> An influence of the hormones released by these glands on the molting-related metabolic processes is mediated by central nervous system (I.C. Dunn et al., 2009). <...> The resulting morphological and physiological alterations allow a manipulation of the reproductive function to optimize timing and intensity of lay in females and sperm production in males. <...> The data are presented to specify the processes in meat-type hens and cocks exposed to molt-inducing factors (A.P. Konopleva et al., 1976; Sh. <...> The molting was induced by technological, chemical or hormonal factors. <...> On days 7, 30 and 60 after the exposure to a moltinducing factor the condition of pituitary and thyroid gland body heat production, Ca and thyroxin levels in serum were recorded. <...> Molting related alterations substantially influenced digestibility of dietary nutrients, fat deposition in body and egg productivity in laying hens. <...> Stressed cocks responded to stress factors rather with significantly lowered sperm production than with molting. <...> The result is а 3-5 % decrease in egg fertility in the second productive period. <...> The intensity of lay in this second period reached 60 %, its duration was 6 months. <...> The comparison of different methods of molting induction showed the technological approach to be more effective if compared to chemical or hormonal factors. <...> The alterations <...>