Hey, I really appreciate your advices and my breeding progress is going well so far. It’s only few days from the hatching due date so I’m excited. However, I noticed the female (when she comes out for stretches) looks so messy. Her feathers are little dull and looks as if she didn’t preen herself at all. I’m concerned about this. Is this a sign of a health issue or is this normal occurrence that sitting on eggs is hard work?
Hi Lillium,
The hen does tend to look pretty ragged during incubation and caring for chicks. This is why good nutrition is so important, and why a 6 month rest period is vital after each clutch of eggs, whether they hatch or not. She often pulls some of her own feathers to add to the nest, so this can add to her shabby appearance. It’s a good sign that she comes out to stretch and presumably eat, unless the mate is feeding her. Good luck and let me know if you end up with chicks!
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
