Is there any reason other than broodiness to pluck breast feathers?

[deacons]

Okay, back to nutrition as a possible cause......even high quality layer feed is one of the lower protein chicken feeds. I think layer runs around 16% protein. Supplementing with fruit and veggies lowers her total protein percentage for the day. That could be offset some by what she finds free ranging, but I'm wondering if you just need to bump the protein a little. You could buy a bag of higher protein feed, like starter or grower or all-in-one, and try that. Or, supplement with meat, fish, beans, insects, etc to boost her intake.

If she way laying in Jan 13, I'd think she was a spring 12 chick. She should have taken a break from laying and molted around fall 13. It's pretty odd that she didn't.

I know, I think it's very odd that I've never seen a molt- but, if they have done through it, it has been VERY mild. I have never had piles of feathers on the ground, or chickens who are bald. They also have never taken an extended period of time off of laying. I have no lights or heat in my coop at all.

As far as food, the pellet they eat is 17%, nutrition info here:
http://www.greenmountainfeeds.com/products/poultry/organic-layer-pellets/

 

[centrarchid]

Molts are not always intense. My games are nearly a month into the molt but the only feathers being replaced are the secondary and primary flight feathers which are being done singly on each wing. Process will not be complete until December. Tail feathers which are very obvious will be swapped out in Sept-Oct-Nov. They are obvious because they are so long. My American Dominiques have a lot more fluff making the rail replacement less obvious. The heavy replacement of body feathers occurs at about the same time as tail replacement but varies greatly even with same bird from year to year. Variation does not appear to be age related, rather weather is more important. Hens that are broody tend to delay start and exhibit a much harder molt.

 

[earlybird10842]

Just to clarify, these aren't chickens new to me- I got the specific one in question back in January of 2013. It's just that she came to me already laying, so I'm not completely sure of her age, but it's likely between 2-3 years old.

As to the molt question, she is laying, which I understand to mean that she's not molting, right? She probably lays 3-4 eggs a week.

As far as the nest, there are 3 nest boxes for 8 chickens. They all insist on using the one in question (the one with the feathers)- they will stand in line and wait for it, even though 2 others are available. BUT, now that I'm thinking about the nest more, one thing HAS changed since this started. A new local company started selling a product called "nest herbs," which are simply a dried blend of herbs that leave a fresh scent and supposedly promote calm, healthy flocks. I recently started sprinkling these herbs in the nests, and I wonder if that's actually making her uncomfortable? That would be an easy fix, I can just clean out the straw and replace it with fresh straw, minus the herbs. I think that's the next thing I'll try.

Some hens will lay through their molt, which slows down the molt.

 

[centrarchid]

Some hens will lay through their molt, which slows down the molt. 

Most of my hens if not all will continue through molt until tail feather replacement begins. Egg laying then does not resume until molt is complete and photoperiod begins to lengthen.

 

[deacons]

I'm really stumped. I think this weekend I'm doing a thorough coop cleaning and dusting in case it's mites. Other than that, I don't know what else I should do.

I do appreciate everyone brainstorming with me.