Omlet cube and run

[L Marques]

Hi.My Angie (pekin bantam)is hatching 6 eggs and has got another six day to go,i get her out of the nest to feed her everyday,and yesterday i noticed that she in completely featherless on her bellie the poor thing looks oven ready,why is this happening is it cause she is sitting on eggs for so long?also i can not see the feathers anywhere has she eaten them?stupid question i know but where have they gone?what can i do ?is this normal?she is well and looks beuatiful other than her featherless bellie,she eats and drinks when i ger her out of the nest.

Pleeeeease help .

Thank you

Edited April 20, 2013 by Guest

[merlina]

Someone who knows more should be along soon...

But my hen (who wasn't sitting) had the same thing and people told me that sitting hens and broodies often pull their own front feathers out to line the nest.

There was also a suggestion they could do it if they had a certain nutritional deficiency - so perhaps worth trying a nutritional supplement and making sure she's eating enough?

[sjp]

Hi.My Angie (pekin bantam)is hatching 6 eggs and has got another six day to go,i get her out of the nest to feed her everyday,and yesterday i noticed that she in completely featherless on her bellie the poor thing looks oven ready,why is this happening is it cause she is sitting on eggs for so long?also i can not see the feathers anywhere has she eaten them?stupid question i know but where have they gone?what can i do ?is this normal?she is well and looks beuatiful other than her featherless bellie,she eats and drinks when i ger her out of the nest.

Pleeeeease help .

Thank you

assuming she hasn't got mites then it's normal for broodies to remove feathers from that area so that they can incubate the eggs if they aren't in the nest then she's eaten them give her a few mealworms or switch her onto mixed corn for a few days then on day 18 put her onto chick crumb or put her onto chick crumb now the extra protein will help to build her up they'll start to grow back in about a month or so when she's nearly ready to leave the chicks

[Egluntyne]

All perfectly normal.

[coco]

I have two broodies at the moment both completely oven ready underneath, its quite normal.

[Egghead68]

They pull the feathers out so the eggs are in direct contact with their warm abdomens. They will grow back.

[L Marques]

Thank goodness for the chiken forum i don`t know what i would do wihout all of your good people`s advice and knowledge.

Thank you all so much i am so to know Angie is fine.