[blulagoo]

Well was checking the hen over because of her missing toe nail - which I cleaned and didn't look too bad (put Sudocrem on it to keep it clean). when I noticed that the feathers on her belly look very shrivelled and dried up - you can see her skin.

Can find no trace of mites etc, skin is clean and bright (we thought at first that they were blooming but it is her buff sussex colouring!). She is bright in herself and eating well, she even laid an egg after losing her toe nail.

I feel awful - the only chicken we can usually pick up is the cockerel as the others only get a cuddle if we manage to grab them when feeding treats and then we have to be really quick.

Any ideas what this can be or is it just because of the cold and damp weather?

[Aunt Sally]

Has she been moulting a bit and is it the new feathers coming through ?

[blulagoo]

Don't appear to be any feathers coming through Auntie - it seems to run from lower front chest through breast to leg area. No other feathers seem to be affected. They are 'skinny' and shrivelled almost as if they are matted / wet looking. Didn't feel wet at all but very dry and brittle.
 

[Vember]

Does she perch at night? Or sit in the nestbox?

One of mine once had the broody sort of appearance on her chest (where you could see her skin)  and I found it was because she was sitting in her nest box every-night, once I stopped her her feathers recovered

Sarah

[Aunt Sally]

Can you take a picture blulagoo ?

[blulagoo]

I will tomorrow - just said that to OH.

Whenever we close the poop hole they are 'perching' - they don' have much choice in the Eglu.

She does however take an age to lay (about 3 hours) and is happy to claim others eggs as her own - however she does leave the nest box as soon as she has laid.

The feathers are still attached in the skin, just very thin (if only that was me!) by very thin I mean the feathery bits are close to the shaft and not spread out as normal.

[GrannieAnnie]

Some of ours are like that.  They don't always perch, but sit on the floor and if there's some mud or poop, it matts up the feathers on the breast.  Then there's the ones who perch and move around a lot and rub their breast feathers off, so they look bald!!!!

[Bodger]

A sign of a bird that is laying can be damaged feathers and bare patches on her chest. She maybe getting this bit of wear and tear as she's settling herself down in the nest box as she gets ready to lay her eggs. Nothing to worry about at all, but if you are concerned, it might be worth putting a little more nesting material in the nest box. If she's a fidgeter and she sounds as though she might be, she'll probably only scratch this out of course. :thumright:

[blulagoo]

Thanks Everyone -

Bodger - there is plenty of straw in the nesting box - if anything too much ( I think I overcompensated as it is soooooo cold!)

I will now remove the dressing from her toe - which I only did this morning after cleaning it again.

She is moving around ok - obviously the toe is a little bit tender, I will try and get some purple spray.

[blulagoo]

Here are the photos of the feathers





Any ideas? She is still laying and seems happy in herself.

[Bodger]

Have you got the birds on shavings? I can't tell from the pictures, but whats the dandruffy stuff made of in the picture ?

[Aunt Sally]

It that her chest or her botty ?

If botty thinking lice !

[Bodger]

And I thought that my eyes were bad.    

[Aunt Sally]

D'oh  :!:

Is that a wattle I can see at the top of the picture ?  If so  :oops:

[blulagoo]

Yes that is a wattle at the top!!  

It isn't really dandruffy - it is the 'crispy bits of the feathers. The skin is really clean.

I am beginning to think they got wet and maybe frozen? :?: