merlina Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Oh dear, my first post sounds like a troll I have 2 brown hybrids. They are about 1.4 yrs old and free range as much as possible One, I noticed today has an almost completely bare breast - both sides under the wings but not at the very front. I've read a lot about moulting, and this everything seems to say they lose their neck/head/tail feathers first. They don't seem to have lost any of these and I haven't seen any feathers around I had another hen, a bluebell which died suddenly a couple of weeks ago after being 'off' for just a day, so obviously I'm worried Since then I've wormed them and moved the coop (arc type) I've checked for mites etc and not seen anything obvious - the coop is perma-drenched in diatom the bare skin looks quite healthy - smooth, not obviously red or irritated any thoughts much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I've no experience of this but just wanted to send my support! She couldn't be broody, could she? I seem to remember reading somewhere that one of the things that broody hens do is pluck the feathers from their chest (I could be making this up entirely!). Sorry, hope that someone who knows more comes along soon. And welcome to the board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 I've no experience of this but just wanted to send my support! She couldn't be broody, could she? I seem to remember reading somewhere that one of the things that broody hens do is pluck the feathers from their chest (I could be making this up entirely!). Sorry, hope that someone who knows more comes along soon. And welcome to the board I read the same thing, but no I don't think she's broody - no sign of wanting to sit on eggs or in the nest box and generally bimbling about as usual Thanks for the welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have two bluebells who have a similar problem, it doesn't affect my other girls and they seem in perfect health, they just have slight bald patches down their breastbones. As far as I know there are a number of things that can cause this, but most seem to centre around the housing, sometimes they just wear patches on the roosting bars, or, if the roosting bars are always dirty that isn't a help. I have tried to rectify these problems with my birds but to no avail, it doesn't seem to bother them, when I pick them up I also have a look to check they don't have any blisters or friction markings and thus far there have been none, as long at the house is clean and the chickens are getting on as normal, I would just let them get on. the only other possible option is feather pecking, but that seems unlikely as it has happened to them both, and the breast isn't a normal feather pulling hotspot... Hope this helps tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 thanks again I'm now wondering if she's semi-broody (is there such a thing?!) I have noticed a few (but only 3/4) feathers and the grass/weeds that they pull up (I move the run every few days) was in a kinda nest shape - and there was an egg in it. But they were both equally keen to leave the run for their daily FR exercise and go into what I call the 'day run' (another run that i move daily to keep them off the bits of the garden I don't want them to destroy) Perhaps she is broody buy in a kinda half-hearted way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I've had 2 hybrids like that, it's just their way to keep cool in these wonderful hot summers we are having Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
