chicken wont leave house. Lost feathers on underside

[bigredhandbag1]

Hi,

I am really worried about my girl. She hasn't left her house for 2 days and when we lifted her found she had lost her feathers on her tummy. I have left water / feed in her house. Please help!

 

[PeeperKeeper]

Don't know where you live...weather climate,coop conditions, chick population, age of hen, type of hen, how long have you had her. Give us more info. Pics are always a great help but not neccessary. You thread is very early so give some more info and wait. If your thread gets pushed to a back page, just come back into it and "bump" it by reposting on it to keep it up front where it can be seen.
My first question: Have you checked fro lice? Tiny white bugs you can find crawling around the chickens vent area. Lice will suck the life out of a chick, hen or roo.
Peeper

 

[Ridgerunner]

Has she been setting on her nest, day and night? She might be broody.

 

[lauralou]

Is it possible that she's broody? Is she staying on her nest? Does she make strange sounds when you try to fool with her?

I know it's late in the year, but I had a hen that was broody off and on all last winter. The plucked feathers on the chest makes it sound like a broody hen to me...

 

[Judy]

Could she have gone broody? They will pick some tummy feathers to line the nest. Is she setting on a nest? Does she growl when you reach for her? Is she sort of flattened out as if to keep eggs warm? How old is she, and what breed? Does she feel like she has lost weight? Does she seem sick to you? Is she laying? Have you ever wormed her>

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3569

 

[keesmom]

Sounds like she may be broody.

-Cindy

 

[bigredhandbag1]

Thanks for the replies....how can I be sure she is broody and not sick? This is my first winter with them. She is a gingernut and is 10 months old. She does stay on her nest day & night and doesn't like being touched. Not sure if she is laying as have other chickens in the same coup but don't think she is laying. We are in England.

 

[keesmom]

Does she puff up at you when you try to touch her?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Others have mentioned the signs. You can take her off the nest and carry her out in the run. If she is back on the nest after eating, drinking and taking a big huge temendous stinky poo, she is broody.

To me, her staying on the nest day and night except for short expeditions you probably don't see to eat, drink and poo tells me she is broody. In my opinion, you need to either break her or give her fertile eggs to hatch. Since it is your first year with them, here are a couple of links that might help in either case.

Break a Broody Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2176186#p2176186

Isolate a Broody? Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213218

Good luck!!!