Brooding hen has chicks in nesting box

[ajm200]

Hi Experts..

 

Need to ask a newbie question (after a year!) sorry.

 

One of our chickens keeps having a few broody days.. she waits til the others have laid then plonks herself down on the eggs and 'growls' at anyone who goes near her. This is been going on at intervals over the past couple of months. No cockeral so no chance of chicks. During that time she has gradually lost feathers on her breast and bottom.

 

I've checked her for mites regularly and not spotted any. Watched the others with her and, despite 3 new chickens, we have no obvious feather pulling going on just odd spiteful pecks. No-one else is missing feathers expect Poppy our head chicken and she's just taking ages to finish her moult.

 

I have kept the bare bits covered in purple spray but today I spotted her pulling her own feathers in the nesting box. Is this normal? Any ideas what I can do?

[Egluntyne]

Yes...they do.

 

Article about broody hens **here**