A hen that seems to have a chill and shivers, whats wrong with her?

[buff]

I have this 1 leghorn that shivers as if she is cold. She sits by the heat lamps when she comes off the roost. I think she eats and drinks because when I take treats to them she comes to then she goes right by the heat lamps again. She gets on the roost every night. Just sits there shivering. What could be wrong with her? She is the only one that does that. At least the other hens don't pick on her like they do my buff orp that won't come out of the nesting boxes and they sure are mean to her. Not sure how to stop that either. Should I give them some medicine? She isn't coughing, sneezing, or anything like that, just acts like she has got a chill and can't stop shivering. What could be wrong with her?

 

[CMV]

I wouldn't treat them for a problem unless you are sure a problem exists.

Why do you have a heat lamp on them? I am thinking that this bird hasn't acclimated to the cold because she is parked near the heat lamp at every opportunity. It shouldn't harm her unless you have a power outage and lose the heat some day. She could have serious problems in that case. Everyone loves warmth on a cold day, but chickens can usually get used to the cold and generate enough warmth by themselves to be comfortable. I am guessing this bird has just gotten used to sitting near the heat, and consequently, is being really bothered by the cold. At this point in the season I don't see any reason to remove the heat lamp, but I would not offer a heat lamp next winter. If it bothers you, you could try slowly moving the heat lamp further and further away from the birds, so they can get used to the colder temps. Just don't do it too quickly or your leghorn may be genuinely uncomfortable for a while.

Good luck.

 

[buff]

Maybe you misunderstood me I don't have a heat lamp on any of my chickens, I have the heat lamps over the waters so they don't freeze. It has been really cold here and if I don't put heat lamps over my waters the water freezes. My hen gets up and down on the roosts all the time she even shivers when on the roost at night. She gets down off the roost in the morning and eats and drinks then she will go after awhile and sit under the heatlamps that I have over my waters so water doesn't freeze. I do know my chickens will get use to the cold weather but I also know they need fresh water everyday which I give them but I can't let the water freeze. I just don't understand why she acts like she is cold. I am not removing my heat lamps, they are right above the waters. I am not sure why she shivers and if there is anything I need to do for her she acts like she is sick she even sometimes acts kind of funny when the weather is nice out for them to be out free range. She will sit on my front porch like she is cold even in spring, summer, and fall. I am just wandering what is wrong with her and if I need to do something with her to help her get better.

 

[44Wolves]

She's just Cold. My hen does that, exactly why I have a heater, not a light.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How old is this hen?....have you checked thm for mites or lice, this will make them anemic and could be what making her cold.

 

[crtrlovr]

is she thin? sounds like she's just plain cold, as 44 wolves said. She may be anemic, which would also make her feel cold. How old is she?

 

[buff]

I believe she is 3 yrs. old. I didn't raise her from a chick I got her from a guy my husband works with and when we got her I believe they said she was 2 but I am not sure if they knew exactly how old she was when they got her. How do you know if they have lice or mites? And how do you check them to see if they do? And can them having lice or mites make them sick and die? I've been trying to find info about and what to do if they do have lice or mites? Can anyone tell me what to do if they do have lice or mites? Yes she is on the thin side but all of my chickens are on the thinner side and I don't know why.

 

[CMV]

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

This should help.

Good luck.