HELP!! Extremely Broody and Losing Feathers on their Breasts...

[AuntieEm]

Hi everyone, I have 2 buff brahmas who have been acting extremely broody the past several days. Everyday I have to take them off the nest so they can get food and water. I think they're sleeping there as well. To make me even more concerned, they are both losing their breast feathers. They're the only two "meat" chickens in our flock of seven. The other chickens are pecking on them a lot. Can anybody tell me what's wrong?? Thank you in advance!

AuntieEm

 

[Kelsie2290]

That is pretty normal for a good broody, and Brahmas are a broody breed, hens will often pluck their chest feathers to make a nest. Other chickens will pick on them sometimes, especially if they are lower ranking birds, since they just aren't acting normally. If you are not going to let them hatch eggs/ raise chicks, I would try to break them of being broody... since they will go on for months and months sometimes. it really isn't the best thing for their health since they don't eat and drink or exercise right etc. You might like to check out the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center and there are several good ones on broody hens in the Hatching Eggs section you might find helpful. a nice article that has some tips for discouraging them, https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens I like to use the wire cage method mentioned, usually a wire dog crate, I like to put roosts in because the wire is usually spaced wide enough that they can't stand/sit on it comfortably (most dog crates seem to be around 1x4" spacing). and keep the crate in the middle of the coop/barn isle where thing are really busy, you want the hen to be bothered. For food and water I like to use small bowls I hang from the sides since some hens will sit in bowls on the floor.