Help Please! Chicken loosing feathers in spring?

[Danragg]

Hi I'm new to silkies and have had a bad broody for over a month and have finally broke her but now she is scattering her feathers everywere when she shakes they come out is this moult or is she stressed still seems to be doing her everyday routine no longer Sitting in the nest box but have not had a egg from her in a long time (she is around 11-12 months old) we were told from the previous owner that the others had already malted and this one looks a lot puffier than the others! If this is a moult when will we be due an egg? Thanks in advance Dan

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hi, Dan!

Yep, sounds like a molt to me! lol *Usually* chickens molt once a year, but stress, sickness, injury and broodiness can cause a 'forced molt'. This is normal and nothing to worry about. But just to be on the safe side, pick her up on a regular basis to make sure she doesn't start losing weight drastically. Pairing those 2 things together could spell an underlying problem.
I am betting it is just molt though, and could be 2 weeks or up to 4 weeks before she starts laying again. They usually do not lay until they shed all the old feathers and the new ones are fully grown in. Also, they usually don't lay while tending chicks either and even though you broke her broodiness, her mindset may be trying to 'finish the process' so to speak.
Good luck to you and hope she gets her groove back soon for you! Just remember, Silkies are not usually prolific layers anyways.
Hope this helps!