Hen with bare chest

[gruenwaldv]

We have one of our hens that has picked all of her feathers off her breast. Stays in the egg box all day unless you pull her out. We've dusted for lice/mites and also completely cleaned and disinfected the coup but still no improvements. The other chickens are fine. Any ideas?

 

[RoosterAddict99]

If you ask me, she is definately broody! This means, she wants to hatch her own chicks. Does she roost at night?

 

[ChicKat]

x2 broody hen behavior. Lucky you, if you have some fertile eggs that you want to hatch.

She pulls feathers off so she has direct skin contact with the eggs...and can feel their temp.... welcome to the byc forum!!! (wish I had a broody hen at the moment)

 

[gruenwaldv]

Wow. Thanks for the quick response!

 

[ChicKat]

BTW - WELCOME to the BYC forum!! :O)

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

yes she is broody...if she has stayed in the nesting box for a couple of days at least...you can give her a few fertile eggs and she will hatch them and take care of the babies...the reason I say make sure she is on the nest for at least a couple of days is because sometimes they are just testing it out, they dont go completely broody...but if you know she has been on the nest for a few days she is really broody and is wanting to hatch out eggs and she may sit for just a few more days once she figures out that no eggs are going to hatch or she could stay on the nest for 3 week or more...and during this time she will not lay eggs...I have had 2 broodies in the last 2 weeks but I broke them both by just putting them outside with the others every time I saw her in the nesting box...the longest it took for my to break them was 4 days the other only took 2 days..I wish you luck..and dont worry about here eating and drinking she goes out once a day to eat drink and potty.