Is she molting & broody at the same time?

[maclady]

Can a chicken molt and be broody at the same time?

BO, 8months old, has lost feathers along her chest area and underneath her to bare skin and now will not leave the nest box. SHe even wants to sleep there. I have put her on the roost and she goes back to the box. Yells whenever you lift the lid to the nest box and does not want to be bothered. I have taken her out of the nest box repeatedly and put her outside until today. Today it's wet, cold and windy so I have left her alone. I took away the wooden eggs I had in the boxes and am taking out the eggs as soon as the other girls lay. Can anyone tell me how to handle her. I have increased the BOSS I am giving and added in dried and live mealworms to help up the protein they get. I also have another girl with feather loss in the same area. Checked all the girls to ensure there isn't another reason for feather loss-no mites or bugs of any kind that I can find. I am open to any ideas. Thanks.

 

[Czech's_chicks]

What kind is she? There are some breeds that just go broody, regardless - silkie, OE, austrolorp are a few that I know that you can't keep off a nest.

Put an egg in front of her, not under her and see what she does. If she rolls and tucks, broody

Even if she is molting, it wont affect her ability to sit.

 

[Czech's_chicks]

Ahhh....didn't catch that it was an Orp - yep, they go broody

 

[jason180sx]

no
my first hen that when brooding did that
she pulls them out so she can give more heat and she can feel if they are moving or not

 

[Yay Chicks!]

She sounds broody alright. She may not be molting, but has plucked the feathers from underneath her so that she can place her hot, humid skin next to the eggs.
If you want to break her of it, you might start by blocking the nest boxes at night. If you are around during the day, wait until everyone else has laid, get her and everyone else out and close the coop (that is, if they are in a secure run).
If you have to, you can place her in an elevated cage so that air circulates and cools off her skin underneath. Some people have reported that takes days to weeks.
My BO went broody but it only took a few days to deter her and I did not have to resort to the cage.

Others have loads more experience in this, but my advice is based on my (thankfully) brief experience.

Edited for typo...

 

[maclady]

Can I change feed to Purina Flock Raiser to increase protein? Maybe mix it half & half with Purina Omega-3 Layena and keep up the mealworms and BOSS. I am pretty sure the feather loss is molt since all four of them are in various stages of feather loss. I am keeping a close eye on them to make sure nothing else could be wrong. This is my first time with chickens so I'm learning as I go. This site has been so much help. The one hen that is also broody I am just going let her sit for tonight since it is supposed to hit 32 here and she is naked underneath. Will that hurt trying to break her? If I block the nest boxes and put a nest box outside with the girls will that work for them to lay in? Thank you for your responses.

 

[Nana Linda]

I have a hen that is molting and brooding at the same time. I am worried about her. She stays under a bush all day. It is 100 degrees here in Arizona. I take her to the coop to sleep at night. She absolutely hates when I do that. Wish I had an answer. Hoping she gets some food and water when in the coop. Can anyone help us?