I only have 6 hens that are currently laying and no rooster that is old enough to breed. The other day i had a hen go broody so i removed her forcefully from the nest and noticed that she was missing almost all the feathers from her breast. when i put her down she was super mad and even madder when i covered the enterance to the nesting boxes. she finally calmed down and i noticed her picking at the few feathers left on her breast. My questions are is she really moulting or it that just something i have never noticed and is it worth it to de-brood her if she is moulting she won't lay for a few weeks anyway. I am interested to hear what advice you have for my novice brain.
Broody hens will often pluck feathers from their chest to lay in the nest. Seems that's what your girl is doing. You can leave her on the nest if you like. The eggs, not being fertilized, will not hatch, but she will be able to enjoy her natural broodiness. When she's tired of sitting on the nest, she'll leave.
