What Is This? (Pictures)

[Lacy Duckwing]

I'm not overly concerned, I'm just wondering what this is. It's on my hen's belly.

Here's something else down lower on her belly. It looks like a scab, healing?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Is she acting different

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Is she acting different

I don't think so... The only thing I've noticed different is she seems to be putting on weight.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

She might be putting on some weight and them she might go broody soon! When they are broody they don't eat that much so she might just be putting on some fat to sustain her through that time. But I am not 100%

 

[dawg53]

She's probably rubbing her belly on the roost at night.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She might be putting on some weight and them she might go broody soon! When they are broody they don't eat that much so she might just be putting on some fat to sustain her through that time. But I am not 100%

Um. Maisy? Broody? I did notice that basically her whole belly was bald except for a couple of barely feathered spots..... But, Maisy, broody? (Maisy is the hen who those pictures above are on of those strange injuries or markings.) Maisy really isn't a hen that I'd think would ever go broody. True, I've been surprised before by other hens, but she really doesn't seem the type. A couple of weeks ago, I removed a hen who was plucking feathers from Maisy and another hen. (This is the thread of that hen here: Penny's in Jail) With that hen removed, makes me think that Maisy was just always unweight without my knowledge because of that hen, and now she's putting on weight because that hen isn't around. It would be very interesting if Maisy did go broody, and funny at the same time. I would like to study what you said, on any hen. I'm always looking for indicators of hen going broody before they're actually broody, and that would be a cool thing to be abserving.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She's probably rubbing her belly on the roost at night.

Hm. The purple spot, or the other spot? The other spot I was thinking she was rubbing it on something, but I never see her sitting on the ground like a Cornish X. I never thought of the perch! Do you know why she's rubbing it so bad? I don't think I've ever seen a mark like that on a layer before...

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

She might be putting on some weight and them she might go broody soon! When they are broody they don't eat that much so she might just be putting on some fat to sustain her through that time. But I am not 100%

Guess what. Maisy has gone broody! You were right! I never expected Maisy to go broody, but she has. That's very intresting how she gained weight first. I'll have to take note of this in the future.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Guess what. Maisy has gone broody! You were right! I never expected Maisy to go broody, but she has. That's very intresting how she gained weight first. I'll have to take note of this in the future.

Awesome! Some hens do gain weight and then they go broody. They want to store up as much fat as they can to sustain them while they are broody and not eating or drinking a lot. Are you going to give her some fertile eggs?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Awesome! Some hens do gain weight and then they go broody. They want to store up as much fat as they can to sustain them while they are broody and not eating or drinking a lot. Are you going to give her some fertile eggs?

I'm hoping to either give her some fertile eggs or buy her some chicks. If I can't do either, I'll have to try to break her broodiness.