I have five chickens of laying age, but have not been getting many eggs at all. They seem to be molting, the bottom of their backs look raggedy and are missing feathers and some of them are bald on their bellies.
Two of the bald belly girls have gone broody recently. Do molting chickens go broody? It seems kind of odd being that they don't lay well during this time, but I wanted to ask to make sure we don't have a problem other than molting.
Also, does the egg production slow dramatically during molt? I was out of town for 4 nights and came back to only 4 eggs, 2 of them from my EE that is also molting. I'm worried I have an egg eater instead of low production, but I can't be sure, there is no evidence of egg eating at all. It's just odd to get so few eggs for so many days.
Can someone give me some guidance?
Two of the bald belly girls have gone broody recently. Do molting chickens go broody? It seems kind of odd being that they don't lay well during this time, but I wanted to ask to make sure we don't have a problem other than molting.
Also, does the egg production slow dramatically during molt? I was out of town for 4 nights and came back to only 4 eggs, 2 of them from my EE that is also molting. I'm worried I have an egg eater instead of low production, but I can't be sure, there is no evidence of egg eating at all. It's just odd to get so few eggs for so many days.
Can someone give me some guidance?