Hen with bald belly!!

[marlene]

I have a 2 year old production red hen, i noticed today that her belly is missing nearly all its feathers.
She is not broody nor has she got any creepy crawlies on her, thoroughly checked her from top to toe and she is clear of any thing.
So what else could be causing her to have lost her feathers, anyone with ideas?

 

[Chiko]

She may be considering being broody. Usually when a hen decides to go broody she does it slowly and the hormones in her body make her lose her breast feathers which helps her have direct contact with the eggs keeping them warmer.

 

[CMV]

She may be considering being broody. Usually when a hen decides to go broody she does it slowly and the hormones in her body make her lose her breast feathers which helps her have direct contact with the eggs keeping them warmer.

This is very possible. I think you may have a future broody on your hands. I hope you want to hatch some eggs because she may want to. Those bare patches on her belly are called "brood patches" by the way.

Good luck.

 

[Chiko]

Yes, If you want her to become seriously broody, You can get some fake, or, dummy eggs and put them in the nest to trick her into thinking that that is her clutch and she has to hatch it. If you don't want her to hatch the eggs, Then there are many ways to snap them out of the trance. I myself always let my hens hatch some eggs when they go broody so I have no clue how to snap them out of it but you can ask on here and you might get some answers

 

[ADozenGirlz]

She may be considering being broody. Usually when a hen decides to go broody she does it slowly and the hormones in her body make her lose her breast feathers which helps her have direct contact with the eggs keeping them warmer.

x2 Totally agree.

 

[Chiko]

I hope you let her hatch her babies I let my Cochin Bantam hatch them out right now. She's so happy and I know you will too when you see your little hen walk out with happy little babies

 

[marlene]

If she is broody, i don't mind giving her a clutch of eggs to brood as i was going to hatch a few in spring anyway.
She is not sitting in the nest at all, just a quick visit every day to lay her egg. Shoukd i leave some eggs in the nest and see if she does sit?
Thank you for your replies, great help for us newbies

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I'd wait until you're sure she is broody to put some fertile eggs in a nesting box for her because if she's not, that would be an unfortunate waste of good eggs.

 

[marlene]

I will definately not be giving her any eggs till i see she is sitting and not leaving the nest box.
Her sister hatched out some chicks last summer, but this one has never shown any broody tendancies in the 2 years i have had her. Will just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Chiko]

You don't have to give her REAL eggs. Just some dummy eggs. I use easter eggs filled with sand LOL. You can use golf balls, wooden eggs, or ceramic eggs