I had posted about my broody chicken that quit a couple days ago and now is molting a day or two ago. One day her tail was there, the next there was two tail feathers and the next there is no tail at all or so it seems. The replies to my post mentioned that a broody hen is more apt to molt and molt severely comapred to the other hens. Now, a couple months back when I had a rooster he pulled out almost all of the back feathers on my hens. And while my broody hen was sitting on the nest her feathers started to come back in pretty quick, I suppose because she wasn't up running around where her saddle might come undone like some of my other chickens has before. Anyway, now since she has been off the nest and her tail feathers have completely fell out the feathers on her back are still coming in very nicely. Does this mean that she had started molting even before her tail feathers came out? The reason I ask this is because my other hens have some that are growing back in just more slowly. This molting thing confuses me sometimes and I guess after I actually experience it, it might not be so much. Any advice or opinions on what is to come for her and my other hens would be appreciated. (I am planning on giving her some cat food and eggs to boost her up.)
