Molting Chicken Questions

[Chicky Chick Mama]

Our flock consists of mostly 24 week old RIR and BO, but we have 2 older BS laying hens who are starting to molt.

1. Do we need to separate them, like placing them in the transition pen, or do I just wait and watch to see if anyone is picking on them?

2. Is it common for others to pick on the molting chickens? Or is that not a concern?

3. I thought about using one of the molting hens to sit on some eggs. I know some don't lay during molt, but will she sit?

Any info you can share with me on molting would be helpful. And thanks, I'm a newbie to the wonderful world of chicken ownership.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I had two molt last year. They were not treated any differently by the others.

Broody hens will set eggs. I don't know of any way to make a hen go broody.

 

[Chicky Chick Mama]

We monitor our chickens very closely, since the 'youngsters' are just starting to lay and I know that one of the older ladies hasn't laid for about a week now. But, I caught her sitting on an egg that was obviously not hers a few days ago. (it was a small "newbie" size and different color egg) So, maybe she is going broody on me. Guess we'll just watch for a while and see. Thanks for your help!!!

 

[emrys]

Some molting hens develop a little bit of PMS attitude. "The Enforcer " is the only hen I have molting right now and even the rooster is careful to sneak up on her. She puts up with nothing from the other hens.

 

[Chicky Chick Mama]

Quote:
I saw our RIR rooster try to mount one of our BS hens and she slammed him into the water bucket. It was hilarious! That makes sense now!