What happened to the feathers

[moxiemom6]

 

[AltonaAcres]

That is a broody patch

 

[moxiemom6]

Wow! I hadn’t seen that while she was standing and freaked when I happened to pick her up. Is this more a summer thing? When do the feathers grow back? I sure didn’t notice in winter
. I do have one girl who likes who spends most of her day in a nest box. No one else acts broody. We toss her into the run and she eats and drinks but ends up back in the (most popular) nest box.
I read to put her in a crate, off the ground with food and water. Cooling off will get her to shift out of brood mode. Dunking her in water when the weather is not really warm seems harsh.
Thank you for replying!
Paulette

 

[AltonaAcres]

She was probably broody at some point not too long ago and plucked out the feathers on her abdomen to make a nest. They should grow back during the next molting stage if she is no longer broody.

 

[moxiemom6]

Alton Acres
Thanks again for replying. She has not acted broody at all! I just have the one nest hugger to deal with! It would be nice if she laid an egg while she was hogging the favorite spot!

Is it a bad thing for the chicken to be broody? It seems that the one I have lanquishes quite a bit and I toss her out and block the coop door to make sure she eats and moves around. She has not created a clutch of eggs as eggs are removed daily. Since she has been a nest hog - she has not managed to sit on the other girls eggs. The use the other nesst boxes or the coop floor.
thanks
P

 

[Eggcessive]

Feather loss when they are not broody, may be from feather picking. That can happen due to overcrowding, boredom if not getting outside, too much light inside the coop, and not enough protein in the diet. Some peck each other on the roost in the evening.

 

[moxiemom6]

Feather loss when they are not broody, may be from feather picking. That can happen due to overcrowding, boredom if not getting outside, too much light inside the coop, and not enough protein in the diet. Some peck each other on the roost in the evening.

They get along pretty good. I think a few feather have been pulled on a couple of the girls as loss was on their head or neck. I have plenty of space for them in the run and coop. Diet - layer feed and treats. The like all the dandelion leaves and flowers that I pull. Never saw a bunch of feathers that would have made me go - hmmmm, what's up.