Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Tilly Bud]

My chicken, Betty , sleeps in the hay section of the Eglu every night, therefore when she poos it's just right underneath her rather than dropping through the bars.

 

I clean all the poo out every morning, but i've noticed her tummy has become matted with poo between her legs. When i pick her up, she lets me look at it, but not for long.

 

I think i'm going to put something in the hay area at night so she can't sleep there (is this mean? ) but i don't know what to do about her tummy. Will she clean it herself? It's been like this for about a week, i've only just realised what's causing it.

[Egluntyne]

I would put a plant pot or football in the nest box if you don't want her to sleep there.

 

Not mean at all.

[Lisa]

Tilly Bud

 

I agree, as always, with Egluntine. I have been using the plant pot technique since a couple of days after I got my chickens in August. They seem perfectly happy and it makes cleaning them out much easier.

[MaggieMcHen]

A friend of mine uses a football to good effect

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I put a brick in the nestbox . Trouble is, sometimes they just roost on that . Might try a football, I'd like to see them try to balance on that .

[Dave36]

I would do exactly what was said above, as for her tummy just give her a little wash in some luke warm water

[Tilly Bud]

Thank you so much everyone ! I've blocked the nest box, my only problem now is getting out there to take it out before they want to lay (my chickens lay VERY early in the morning !).

[mostin]

I have to admit to being a bit of a lazy girl and liking my sleeps in, I do the flowerpot trick on my one girlie who seems addicted to sleeping in the nest box. I've also found that another trick that works though. Once she is asleep I open the egg hatch and move her quickly on to the bars before she wakes up too much. She seems to stay there then till the morning. The things I do for a sleep in