molting and personality change?!

[reesadz]

My hen just finished her first molt and now she won't come anywhere near me. She used to eat right out of my hand. Is this common?

 

[sourland]

Molting is stressful and I think that chickens may feel more vulnerable while molting. I would guess that her personality change may be a result of the molting and that she will eventually get back to normal.

 

[applegal]

When my girls have molted they go back to their normal personality, I've never had one shy away when finished molting. I have one molting now too...she's a big grouch! I hope this does't last long! Good luck.

 

[little farmer]

I had one of my girls molt, and after she was done *poof* Completely new personality!!!!!!!!!!! She is very regal and prissy now, but I can still pick her up and all those sorts of things.

 

[mrsc1951]

My Light Brahmas molted and one of them, Blondie, has remained the same. The other one, Dolly, has become a completely different creature. She looks amazing; her new feathers are just beautiful but her personality is awful and she used to be sweet. She picks on everyone and especially my little bantam, Lucile. It got so bad in the coop at night that poor little Lucile couldn't even get up on the roost with the rest of her flock. One night she came back out of the coop and proceeded to get in the coop with the younger girls. All is well in the younger girls coop at night but Dolly still picks on all of them at some point during the day. I don't understand what went wrong either. None of my other girls has ever had a personality change like that.

 

[Brandi Leigh]

Molting is stressful and I think that chickens may feel more vulnerable while molting. I would guess that her personality change may be a result of the molting and that she will eventually get back to normal.

I agree it is a very stressful time for chickens.