NOT broody hen won't leave the coop and isn't laying

[Hills Hen haven]

I have an Americana-on her second laying year. She is molting currently but before she started molting she decided she would not leave the coop, she hides in the nesting boxes, and is not broody. Consequently she is being picked on but isn't injured. Ideas?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have a nest box hider too. I think it has to do with the molting. Mine started hiding about a week before I noticed she was dropping feathers. I am sure she had already been dropping the feathers and I had not noticed.

You can up her protein to help her through the molt and maybe give her some peace by adding a fabric curtain to the nest box. Other then that it is just something she will have to go through.

I started adding canned mackerel to the wet feed in the mornings and her feathers started coming in really fast.

 

[Ameraucanas]

Same. Mine's molting too, and she mostly stays inside the coop, and isn't nearly as social as usual.

 

[aart]

Had have molter isolate like that too.....upping protein is a good idea for sure.