Wanted - Eglu Cube Mk1 Roosting Bars

[Carolemagic]

I have two of my girls with bare tummies at the moment, you can't see it just to look at them but if you pick them up they look pretty bald on their underneath. I wondered whether it was the wet weather that had caused it - too much sitting in the mud instead of sunshine. They are all laying pretty much every day and don't look ill. They are eating well and digging around as usual with their tails in the air. their combs are bright red and not floppy. I have done them with lice and mite powder but am feeling very guilty that I have not looked after them better in the year that i have had them. Is this type of loss of feathers normal?

[Leeloo]

They could be in the early stages of broodiness. They often do pluck their belly feathers so the eggs will come in direct contact with the heat of their skin. If they start sitting in one place, then you'll know for sure!

[Carolemagic]

Thank you for replying. Is this sitting in one place in the nesting box or outside? Can you explain what it means to be broody? How long does it last? Is it a problem for them? God I am such a novice... I will look it up but it is so good to get advice from 'real people'. Thank you agan...

[Leeloo]

Yes, they generally sit in the nest box, unless you lock them out and then they might try to sit elsewhere. When they go broody, they decide they are going to hatch some chicks. Their little pea brains get focused on that goal so that even though there's no male to fertilize the eggs and you take them away from them, they think if they just go through the motions, something is going to hatch. It's not usually harmful, but I've heard that some hens are so intense that they don't get up to eat or drink enough and can get weak. They will stop laying after a while, too, because they want all the eggs to hatch around the same time so that's inconvenient if you mostly have the hens for egg production.

[jrsankanu]

could be moult or broody, broody i take it in human terms as thinking about babies looking into prams, at clothes, etc possibly even buying baby stuff but not actually being pregnant .sounds daft but kind of makes a bit of sense that way, unless I'm just weird lol.