[bedifferent]

Any idea why a hen should have a bald belly/breast? The skin is clean intact - no sign of parasite or inflammation - just not a feather on it in one place - about 1 inch wide and two inces long.

Hen seems happy.
 :?:

[babe]

could she be broody by any chance?

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds like it to me Babe   :!:

[Vember]

could she be broody by any chance?

That was my first thought 2   .  Is she sitting in the nest box alot  ??

[bedifferent]

Nope, no signs of being broody. She is a Cochin - 6months old and has not started laying yet.

[NormandyMary]

Ive got the same with my light susex. As soon as we got her home I noticed that her bottom was completely bald. I thought I'd give her a week, and if I thought she was a dud I'd take her back, but she has perked up no end, however she is still mooning to all! I hope as someone said previously that they will grow back after her moult.

[GrannieAnnie]

Some of mine have bare breasts!  Naughty girls!!!!!   But I think they are the ones who don't perch, but spend the night on the straw and in the mud and poo, and the roughness of the straw rubs the feathers off as the breast feathers are quite delicate arent they?

But I'm sure Munty will tell me if I'm wrong!

2 ladies came today and had 6 each.  One lady said oh this one's been pecked.  No she hasn't I told her, otherwise there would be blood or marks on the skin and there aren't, just no feathers!!!!

[dangolding]

It could  just be moulting - a bit late in the year, but it does happen from time to time.

As long as she is OK in every other aspect (red comb, eating, poo's normal) then I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[muntjac]

lasy birds will lay on poop..and some will brood excessivly when a clutch is layed .dont worry about them unless its got blood on it ,,,,,,

on a serios note.... please do not put any antiseptic creams on any animals except germolene  for small scrapes etc ,or a vetinary prescription.

[Fat Hen]

One of my rescued ex batts has a bald belly.  Had when I got her, expected to grow back, but never has.  Though from where the poo's are in the hen house I rather suspect she sleeps in one of the nest boxes.  Other feathers are growing back slowly though, and she's happy and does normal chickeny things.

One which died a few weeks ago, her feathers had completey grown back and really looked the healthiest chicken you could wish to see.  Funny old world.

[Foxy]

sounds possibly like a broody. I have just spotted a one today - breast feathers gone, also you can tell when their breast is warmer than normal and if you hold them in the palm of your hand their wings will sort of spread as if cuddling your hand  and they develop a sort of "zen-like" expression!- she isn't sitting tight yet but soon will be! so Monty will be wanting some eggs soon!!!  

[GrannieAnnie]

lasy birds will lay on poop..and some will brood excessivly when a clutch is layed .dont worry about them unless its got blood on it ,,,,,,

on a serios note.... please do not put any antiseptic creams on any animals except germolene  for small scrapes etc ,or a vetinary prescription.

Don't think its moulting with mine Munty, but yes, some of them do lay on the straw and the poop, so would the ammonia in their poo burn the feathers off the breast bone area?

[muntjac]

just look at battery birds to answer that annnie

[GrannieAnnie]

Strangely enough Munty, our ex batts had all their other feathers missing, rather than the ones underneath,  but in their cages, the poo disappears doesn't it?  doesn't stay in the cage.  At least it didn't in the battery house I had to visit when I worked for the NFU!

[muntjac]

the ammonia still rises as a gas annnie.and seing some battery houses near to where i was down south they didnt clean the wire just the trays  :x