Help my chicken has lost all her chest feathers

[Memcd]

My Black Jersey Giant is 10 months old and has gone broody. I noticed today that all of her chest hair is gone. There is no redness, open sores, no mites and it doesn't seem to bother her. I make her get up tp eat and drink but she returns to the nesting box within 10 minutes. Is this normal for a broody chicken? She is laying on a fake egg. Should I remove the fake egg?

 

[chuckachucka]

Broodies sometimes pluck out their own chest feathers to get the eggs closer to their skin for maximum temperature and humidity. This is normal. If you dont want her to hatch chicks I would not leave her sitting on the nest for more than a couple of weeks because it takes its toll on their health.

 

[chuckachucka]

Removing the egg will do nothing at this point. Broodies are very good at imagining they are hatching a clutch of babies even when there are no eggs under them! To break her broodies you will have to remove her from the nest and deny her access. I like to let my broody hens sit for a couple of weeks though first to give them a natural break from egg laying.

 

[snow5164]

I have a small dog kennel that I have used to break abroody hen. But I’ve also noticed that a change of environment can also help. Put her outside in the garden each morning, or just lock her outside the coop. It’s worked for us and the Broody buster cage is used less and les

 

[Memcd]

Removing the egg will do nothing at this point. Broodies are very good at imagining they are hatching a clutch of babies even when there are no eggs under them! To break her broodies you will have to remove her from the nest and deny her access. I like to let my broody hens sit for a couple of weeks though first to give them a natural break from egg laying.

Thank you for the information. She has only been broody for 6 days. The feather loss is new to me and I was concerned she was sick, but she doesn't appear ill. I will continue to remove her from the nesting box and make her go outside. Thank you! :-}

 

[Memcd]

I have a small dog kennel that I have used to break abroody hen. But I’ve also noticed that a change of environment can also help. Put her outside in the garden each morning, or just lock her outside the coop. It’s worked for us and the Broody buster cage is used less and les

Thank you. I like the idea of putting her outside in the garden and using the kennel. I have 10 other chickens and it would have been difficult keeping her out of the nesting boxes. I'll giver it a try. Thank you for the information

 

[Eggcessive]

My broodies all have plucked out their chest feathers. It will take 4-5 days of leaving her in the dog kennel 24/7 with food and water. It is good if you can place a low roost for her in the kennel. If she goes back to the nest box after 5 days, then place her back in the kennel for another day or two.

 

[Fishkeeper]

You can also try gently dunking her chest and belly into cool water before placing her in the dog cage, as this cools her front off and helps break the broodiness.

 

[Memcd]

My broodies all have plucked out their chest feathers. It will take 4-5 days of leaving her in the dog kennel 24/7 with food and water. It is good if you can place a low roost for her in the kennel. If she goes back to the nest box after 5 days, then place her back in the kennel for another day or two.

Thank you.

 

[Memcd]

You can also try gently dunking her chest and belly into cool water before placing her in the dog cage, as this cools her front off and helps break the broodiness.

Thank you.