has she lost her mind

[maine egg man]

i have noticed feathers in the nest box and have found one of my girls has pulled out most of her breast feathers , does she think that she is going to hatch her eggs unlikely as there is no roo,

 

[Chicken Cluck]

I don't think it's possible for chickens NOT to lay eggs

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
If there is no roo the eggs won't be fertile.


Sounds like she is going broody.
Time to order some hatching eggs and let her do it for you!

 

[onthespot]

Yep. Egg buying time. It is futile to resist. You MUST buy eggs for your broody girl, and post pics when they hatch!

 

[Pinky]

Hens will pick their feathers to add to the nest??Is that why my hen that went broody last year had some missing breast feathers?

 

[cluckychick]

Quote:
The skin to egg contact allows for the build up of humidity for hatching.

 

[Pinky]

Wow.I didn't know that.I learn something new here every day

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. Sounds like she is going broody to me too.

 

[mjdtexan]

Quote:
Learnt someting taday. Tanks

 

[speckledhen]

I often ask myself 'Has she lost her mind?!" about one of my goofy girls.Yes, plucking out the breast feathers is one sign of going broody. Staying on the nest all night when she usually goes to roost is another. Growling like a guard dog is another one. The breast feathers plucked makes the eggs closer to her skin and body heat; that's why they do that.