hen plucking chest:/

[okiemamachick]

I have an EE that seems to be picking feathers out if her chest area? Little feathers are in the coop and nesting boxes she's not picking it bald but one spot on her chest is downy looking instead of perfectly smoothly feathered. Why would she do this?

 

[sunflour]

Could she be broody?

I have only read that can happen, although my 2 frequent broodies have never done that.

 

[okiemamachick]

If she is she's only flirting with it she does spend time on her homemade best (my boxes apparently aren't good enough) but she is out more than a broody would/should be.

 

[sbhkma]

That may change. The feather picking is quite typical of a broody, but it may take her another few days before she'll actually set the nest. If you don't want her broody and don't need her to hatch eggs, you should nip this in the bud with a broody buster. Search on here for that and you'll see what I mean. Could be she has mites or something, but my guess is impending broodiness. I've got one gal that picks her breast and belly bare when she goes broody on me.

 

[okiemamachick]

I would love her to go broody (a dream of mine to have a broody ) but we may be switching coops within the next three weeks so that freaks me out a bit because I wouldn't want to disturb her. I suppose if I left her eggs it might push her over the edge into broodiness but I'm on the fence about doing that. Thanks for the advice guys!