Broody hen losing stomach feathers

[BecsBrood]

I will continue to read more of other posts…just curious. Did your broody hen and her belly feathers improve? I have a lady sitting on no eggs (or other chicken's eggs). Naked belly, very broody, but seems fine in other ways. Advice anyone? Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

In my birds at least, the brooding hen does not pull feathers from her breast. Rather the skin in the area that becomes the brood patch is very stretchy. Additionally, my field nesting hens seldom if ever have feathers lining the nest. The line nest with whatever they can reach while on nest. Such materials are dominated by grasses and stems.

 

[chickengenius]

I think it's normal for a broody hen to loose her stomach feathers. My Buff Oprington hen is broody every year. Sometimes she looses the feathers on her stomach. She often pulls them out. sometimes however, a hen will lay on an egg and crush it. Then it gets all over their stomach feathers and dried. When the broody hen tries to get out, her feathers are stuck on the bottom on the nesting box. she pulls, and her feathers fall out. That once happened to my hen.


Happy to help!

 

[Nat chickenmama]

I am going thru the same thing but I didn't know she was bare on her tummy until I soaked her in cool water yesterday. My teenie bantam wouldn't even get out when there was no egg under her. I had to do something to get her not broody. When you soak them in cool or room temp water for about 5-10 minutes it changes their hormones. I went ahead and cleaned her with dawn to kill any if any bugs were present( I was scared it was mites even tho I just sprayed the coop 3 weeks ago). Gave her a nice low blow dry

ANDDD....It worked!!! She has been back roosting with the rest of the crew. I definitely won't let her be broody for even a day from now on if she is going to pull her feathers out. Poor thing!
I have had o do this with other broody hens and works every time!!!
Good luck!

 

[Nat chickenmama]

Hi there, I'm going thru the same thing but I didn't know she was bare on her tummy until I soaked her in cool water yesterday. My teenie bantam wouldn't even get out when there was no egg under her. I had to do something to get her not broody. When you soak them in cool or room temp water for about 5-10 minutes it changes their hormones. I went ahead and cleaned her with dawn to kill any if any bugs were present( I was scared it was mites even tho I just sprayed the coop 3 weeks ago). Gave her a nice low blow dry

ANDDD....It worked!!! She has been back roosting with the rest of the crew. I definitely won't let her be broody for even a day from now on if she is going to pull her feathers out. Poor thing!
I have had o do this with other broody hens and works every time!!!
Good luck!