Do Broody hens...?

[WildflowerJLH]

... lose their feathers below their chest?

I have a hen that I think has been broody. I pull her out of the coop several times a day. I usually wear gloves, because she has tried to peck me when I take her out. Today, I was not wearing my gloves, so I noticed that her "chest" below her crop felt really warm. I looked under her, and she has NO FEATHERS on her underside. Her butt is fluffy like it normally is. The front of her chest looks normal. The skin does not look red or strange in any way, except that she has no feathers there!

Please tell me this is normal! If not, any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

They actually pull them out so as to make contact with the eggs. Congrats on the broody!!

 

[KimberlyJ]

Perfectly normal. This way the chest can keep the eggs warmer.

 

[WildflowerJLH]

That was my first thought, since it makes sense. That is why I posted this here, instead of in the sick chicken forum.

She has been doing this for 2 weeks solid, maybe a couple more days. I have been unsuccessful at breaking her. Now, I have 3 chicks coming next week. Maybe I should stop trying to break her, and put those babies under her! I was planning to keep them in a brooder, but this is starting to make more sense.

 

[ranchhand]

Slip them under her at night, then check as soon as the sun comes up. Chances are she will accept them.

I just had a hen hatch 2 eggs and I took the 5 eggs that hatched in the incubator and slipped them in. She's a happy hen now!

 

[WildflowerJLH]

I have never done this before. Will I need to separate her from the rest of my layers and roo?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Not necessarily. I don't, although they are kind of semi-seperated at first - in a dog crate within the coop.

Here's an article you might find helpful:


http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html