broody hens? and eggs production...

[Myst4]

I was told when I bought my chickens that 2 of them are broody hens and very good mothers. So, my question is..is there a certain time that they should go broody? I know what to look for and they aren't showing the signs. Also, my hens, during winter layed up to 15 eggs per day, now that the "warmer" weather has come they seem to be laying about 9 a day...what is up with that? I have noticed that a few of them(maybe 4 or 5 ) are molting...does this affect egg laying?

 

[chickenlisa]

yes. Mine laid fewer eggs when they were molting. Now they are getting all fuzzy again and filling in, the egg production is going up more everyday.
Lisa

 

[Myst4]

Oh good... thanks, that is great to know. I was worried that they were stopping. I am presently hatching some ee eggs and 2 white leghorn eggs(day 10) and am hoping to have more eggs to hatch again. So, do you know how long molting lasts? a couple of weeks?

 

[chickenlisa]

hopefully someone else can join in on this one...I'm not sure. I just happened to notice they all had not just thin looking feathers on their backs, (from the Roos) but then on their wings, heads, tails,etc...they were just about all ugly (poor dears, sorry!) at the same time. They probably thought "not fair! The sun is shining on our bare backs! We'll get sunburned!" Anyways, its a process and it seems to start at one point on them and move around on them till the first area is filling in again by the time the last area looks bare. Does that make sense? Anyone else?
Lisa

 

[Myst4]

Ha ha thanks Lisa ! One of my hens has no tail feathers left(she had only one left a coupld of days ago,halarious!).She looks as though she has been cut in half haha. Good luck with getting anyone else to put their input into this conversation. But, you just never know....they may surprise us yet ! haha


Carrie