[cherrypie]

hi, im a beginer so am trying to assertain if i have a problem or not.
i have one light sussex bantam sitting on 4 eggs for one week now, when i checked her today i noticed bald patch approx 5 inches long X2inches wide on her breast, not around her rear or neck.i didn't see it yeaterday but it was pouring with rain so i didn't check her thoroughly.  
i dusted her as a precaution before she started sitting and again today just in case i can't see any other signs of mites not that i reallyknow what i'm looking for. i also dusted her nest. i know they do pluck to line the nest but i can't see a pile of feathers unless they've been pushed into the straw.
 i was advised to feed her chick crumb as she's sitting - so don't know if this is good advise or not, and supplementing with boiled potato peelings and veg scraps.  i haven't seen any evidence that she's drinking water i'm making up mash with the crumb just to ensure she is getting some liquid. do i need to take any further action?
thanks cherrypie

[WG.]

I know nowt about chooks but remember seeing a post to the effect that they do this to get more heat onto the eggs.  Could be that?

[Aunt Sally]

The do pluck a brood patch as WG said.  She will probably have eaten the feathers they are a good source of protein.

[cherrypie]

thanks aunt Sally should i alter her diet, i can go dig up some worms but i don't know how to cook them LOL no seriously i would did up grubs for her but can i give her a better diet?
cherrypie

[slowef]

I give mine Mealworms as a treat, very nutricious and they love them, you can buy from  Aquarium/ reptile sellers.   I think they sell them for lizards, or you can get bags of dried ones if live is to wiggly for you, they work out cheaper and they last longer I buy them for the Robins in winter.

Believe me you will be eternally popular if you give these mine can recognise a "worm bag" at 100yrds :-)

[Aunt Sally]

thanks aunt Sally should i alter her diet, i can go dig up some worms but i don't know how to cook them LOL no seriously i would did up grubs for her but can i give her a better diet?
cherrypie

It's nothing to do with diet cherrypie.  A broody hen only leaves the nest to eat, drink and poo once a day so it would be foolish of her to waste nutritious feathers  

[Sam K.]

Hi,

This is common when birds are sitting on eggs, like whisky golf said it helps to transfer the heat of the body rather than the feathers insulating the bird from the eggs.

Dusting the nest and bird well is a good precaution against lice, I use that organic aniseed stuff in the bedding all year and never seen them since. Though lice are not the end of the world if the birds get them as they are easily dealt with. Kids get lice from time to time does any one worry?

Probably not the best to feed the bird on the nest they should be encouraged to get off to feed and drink it has been proven to be good for the eggs.

Don’t worry she is a chicken; they are designed to hatch eggs.

[Foxy]

Good luck with your broody!
make sure you take her off the nest once a day same time - have some mixed corn and water close by thats all she needs. Has she been separated from your other hens? and is she in the area that she will be raising her chicks?

[kizza]

Yes the bird has lost its breast feathers so that more heat is transferred to the eggs during incubation, also lose the chick crumbs are no good for an adult bird, for a broody give her wheat or cracked corn to sustain good weight.

[cherrypie]

ok i'll go and buy some wheat or cracked corn on saturday, i did wonder if chick crumb had enough to sustain her. i'll introduce a mixture to start off with and transfer over a few days so she doesn't get too much of a suprise.
she is my only hen at the moment. if the chicks don't hatch i'll buy her some company asap....sounds a bit dodgy!
she's in the same area she'll be raising the chicks but once they are old enough i'm going to move them down the garden to a big run. i'm aiming for 6 hens altogether so that might take a few more trips to the farm to buy exactly what i want.
i got my chook from a friend without much warning so i hadn't had time to do all my homework. starting out with a sitting chick isn't what i would recomend to a complete beginner like myself cause i haven't established "normal" chicken behaviour into my psyche yet, but hey ho i've raised two teenagers so chooks can't be that difficult!
thanks for the advise she looks happy enough even if a little bald!
cherrypie

[xx bluey xx]

Hi,
this is nothing to worry about she has simply gone broody.
The hen will lose her breat feathers the reason being is that when she is sitting the eggs will receive more body heat as the skin is closer rather than the feathers, if you are worried about mite try looking under the wings on the base as this is a common place for mites to live.