Is this normal?? please help!!!!!

[JewelsandBecky]

Hello. (First of all i would like to apologize beforehand if this post is a little confusing, but it is my first post) I was examining my chickens today (I have two: 1 ameruacana and 1 blue laced red wyondotte) and something looked very strange on my ameruacana. A little bit under the wing and close to her legs (i guess in the stomach area???), she is missing a LOT of feathers. This is on both sides of the body. All the other areas seem to be fine. May I note that I don't own any roosters, so this couldn't be caused by "aggressive mating". Should I get a hen saddle/apron or something like that to protect her?

What is the cause of this? My wyandotte isn't particularly aggressive, so I don't think she had any part of this. Please respond quickly because I want my baby to get better.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Is she broody?

 

[JewelsandBecky]

I'm sorry.... I am really new with chickens and am not sure what "broody" means??

 

[Aacre]

I think she may just be broody. Many broody hens will pluck their feathers there so that they can have skin on egg contact to incubate their clutch. I would check for mites, just to be certain. You can check under the wings and behind the neck for these. Looks like she wants to be a mama!

 

[JewelsandBecky]

So even if she doesn't have fertilized eggs, she will still want to become broody?

 

[Aacre]

Yes, she will. It's just part of their instinct. Some breeds are more broody than others. They'll grow back in time.

 

[tdayman]

I don't have a rooster or any broody(they are trying to hatch their eggs) hens and I have a couple that have the same thing (and have always had it). I thought it was so if they were hatching eggs they would have skin to egg contact and be able to better regulate egg temp/humidity. Mine don't have mites or lice. Aside from checking for my mites and lice I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[JewelsandBecky]

K thank you! I didn't know she even wanted to be a mama. I guess I just always see her as my baby

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I'm sorry.... I am really new with chickens and am not sure what "broody" means??

It means she is setting on eggs hoping they hatch out so she can be a mama.

They stop laying during the time they are broody and wait for their babies. Even if you don't have a rooster, and even if the eggs are not fertile.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I don't have a rooster or any broody(they are trying to hatch their eggs) hens and I have a couple that have the same thing (and have always had it). I thought it was so if they were hatching eggs they would have skin to egg contact and be able to better regulate egg temp/humidity. Mine don't have mites or lice. Aside from checking for my mites and lice I wouldn't worry about it.

x2 if not broody then it could be molt or mites/lice but molt is usually in the fall/winter.