Do chickens molt their stomach feathers?

[justaboy]

I have a hen who’s borderline broodyish, she’s not siting completely and still laying but she has her stomach bare, like she’s feathered her nest. But she isn’t molting very much so maybe that’s what it is? Help!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Molting hens won’t usually lay eggs but a broody will until she feels like she’s built up a big enough clutch. It sounds like she’s fixin to get serious about brooding. Is she sitting on eggs or are you removing them? Do you want her to hatch eggs?

 

[justaboy]

Molting hens won’t usually lay eggs but a broody will until she feels like she’s built up a big enough clutch. It sounds like she’s fixin to get serious about brooding. Is she sitting on eggs or are you removing them? Do you want her to hatch eggs?

I’ve been saving up eggs for an autumn hatch, so I’ve been taking their eggs at night and replacing the ones I take with ceramic eggs. She’s currently on 7 and I locked her in the nesting box because I have 2 others that always lay in that one. I’ll out food and water in there in a bit, and if she needs to get out she can, I have doors that let the hens out but not in.

 

[justaboy]

She just laid an egg and is out with the flock again.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

How old is she?

 

[justaboy]

How old is she?

2 1/2

 

[justaboy]

Was broody twice before

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

she is probably just building up her clutch. Keep us posted!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do not put food and water in the nest with a broody. I want them to leave the nest to eat, drink, poo and dustbathe. You don't want them to soil the nest and most will come off the nest once a day anyway.