Hi peoples....on checking the breeding cabinets today...I found one of my females (Kaz's Ming) with all her chest feathers gone and only showing skin....she has 3 babies at about 3 1/2 weeks old...

 

What should I do??

 

Sorry about the focus in the photo...but you can still see what I mean.....

 

HOLY ...... Ummmm the poor thing, I am sure a breeder will be answering you shortly

Have you got nesting materials in the box????

Edited May 30, 200718 yr by Neat

A lot of hens pluck a vertical row of feathers from their chest to have better and warmer contact with the eggs whilst incubating. But it looks like Ming has gone a little too far with that theory. Is she showing any signs of stress ?

 

PS also...who is doing the plucking...her, partner or chicks ? Could it be her reaction to colder nights and to keep her brood warm ?

Edited May 30, 200718 yr by **KAZ**

A lot of hens pluck a vertical row of feathers from their chest to have better and warmer contact with the eggs whilst incubating. But it looks like Ming has gone a little too far with that theory. Is she showing any signs of stress ?

 

PS also...who is doing the plucking...her, partner or chicks ? Could it be her reaction to colder nights and to keep her brood warm ?

 

Well Kaz...I just expected it to be her....the chicks are still quite small..I don't think it's them....well her partner doesn't show any aggression or anything out of the ordinary....he feeds her and things like that... I never here them fighting etc....

 

Hopefully it is as you say Kaz...just wanting to keep the nest warmer.....but I must say this has just happened and has come out of the blue...

Yes as Kaz says, I think hens mostly pluck some feathers, as I always see loose body feathers in most of my nests. But she certainly has over done it, I think usually they do the plucking just before or after eggs arrive, if it’s happened later in the batch, while the young are older, it would be a bit strange, you will just have to keep watch.

Yes I agree with Kas and Norm. It happened to one of mine but not the bad. But my hen broke an egg while sitting and she must sat on the other and all the white and yolk must of got on her chest a little and she plucked nearly all her front feathers out. but I worked out what the problem was because when I caught her to see how much damage she had done she felt very sticky so I washed her in warm water just enough to remove most of the sticky area, and then everything was fine she stopped plucking and sat aon the rest of the eggs and raised 6 young babies.