Chicken standing away from the flock

[tlundell]

Hello, chicken-lovers! I have a five-hen flock, two RI Reds and three NJ Giants. All are just about a year old. The last ten days or so one of the Giants has been simply standing in a corner of the run while the others roam around normally. She does eat if I throw her mealworms, and she does eventually move to another corner. But always standing alone and quite still. Thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

@azygous @Eggcessive hope they can help!

 

[azygous]

She's probably being picked on. Her unwillingness to compete for food could result in weight loss ans weakness if it isn't already happening.

It can also mean she's sick and not feeling up to mingling. Also, a sick chicken is often picked on.

To determine the health of this hen, check her crop before she goes to roost. It should be full. Then check it again in the morning. It should be empty.

Meanwhile, watch her interactions with the others. Toss treats. Watch to see if she competes or is chased away. If she's chased, does she give up and quit?

 

[tlundell]

Thank you for the suggestions. She started off this morning not coming out of the coop until I coaxed her. Then I checked her crop and it was thin and supple. She wandered off to a corner, not interested in the scraps and mealworms. But she was not picked on, and the other birds took turns coming over to visit and to groom her. I will try to get her to drink this afternoon, and to give her a private feeding. Other thoughts?

 

[azygous]

Offer food and water as soon as you can. It's very important to analyze if she is entering starvation mode. Once she penetrates that threshold, she will become too weak to have an appetite.

If she doesn't fill her crop by the time you check her later, then you will suspect she's crossed this starvation threshold. You may need to tube feed her if she is refusing to eat and becoming weak.

You also need to determine if she is too timid to compete at the feeder or if she's being bullied away from it. Sometimes it's both. In that case, I'll give you my program for rehabilitating a timid victim. Never have had a failure yet to complete my course successfully.