missing a ton of belly feathers...broody??

[montanaSarah]

i just went out to inspect our small flock, and after picking one of my girls up i realized her belly is missing a ton of feathers! some have been broken off, but the majority have been completely plucked. i inspected her closely for mites/lice and found nothing (however this is our first go with chickens, so i don't really know what to look for). she's not even a year old, is that too early to go broody? she doesn't seem to hang in the nesting boxes more than usual, but i haven't really been paying that close attention. what are some other signs i can look for? does it sound like a broody or should i be more concerned?
thanks in advance!

 

[Darklingstorm]

One of my hens did the same thing and was totally belly naked. She was molting and has now regrown 90% of them.
this is my first year too and from what I've read a broody is easily noticeable by her bad temper on the nest. They will remain on the nest and "growl" at you and can/will peck you if you try to reach towards her.

I think your girl is molting too. Keep an eye on her and bet you will find her growing new feathers soon. And no she isn't too young, mine is only 11 months old.

 

[montanaSarah]

do they stop laying when they're molting, because she just layed...she's not crabby toward me, so it makes me think she's going into a molt, but it's just her belly missing feathers. hmmm

 

[Darklingstorm]

some do some don't
My Jersey Girl stopped for a while as she was molting (the one missing the belly feathers) but today she is back at it.
My production reds never stopped but did slow down a bit (1 egg every two days instead of everyday).

 

[Darklingstorm]

Some chickens go through a slow molt were only a few feathers are replaced at a time, while others look like someone came and plucked them bald. There are so many different factors to think about when it comes to molting and feathers. Like: health of the bird, the breed, the food, stress, weather, etc.

 

[LCARTER87]

Our americana had a beautiful beard, and one day we came home and poof it was gone! She stopped laying for about a month, and still looks pretty ragged, but now is back to laying. I wouldnt worry too much! I have heard of birds loosing almost all of their feathers! She will grow them back!

 

[bluefeather2697]

maybe she's just molting. or if she's broody, she will bend forward (lower her head), and spike her feathers out (haha is that the right term?) and you will hear

a loud screech when someone approaches her. good luck

 

[montanaSarah]

okay thanks for all the advice! i'm not as worried now