Help! Did my chicken have a stroke??

[horsecrazy]

This morning I fed the chickens and one of my adult BO hens was on the ground, on her right side, comb bloodied from being pecked ( I assume). I sat her up but she repeatedly flopped back over to that right side. a couple of times she managed to balance, croched down. She does not appear to have been down for very long, she had only fresh poop on the right side from lying down.

she seems alert, was clucking when I picked her up. I sepereated her from the rest of the flock, put a dish of pellets, water, and a big leaf of chard right next to her. when I left her she was eating the chard, so that's good.

what do you guys think it is? I hope she recovers!!

 

[LynneP]

I think your hen was attacked and was/is in shock. You may not be able to return her to that pen.

 

[horsecrazy]

If she WAS attacked I don't know why, she is not regularly picked on, no missing feathers, etc. I am going to go check on her in about half an hour. and her comb is not THAT bloody, just one individual little spike.

 

[Mahonri]

A roo can do that....

 

[horsecrazy]

I have 2 roos: a bantam cochin and a standard GLW. they never fight, as the cochin is very shy. again, I do not think the GLW attacked, he only picks on the smaller cochin hen and quail d'anvers hen. I am going to go check on her right now...

 

[LynneP]

Buff Orps are such sweet birds. Important to solve the mystery- she must have been so stunned to be hurt...I know you'll solve this...she may have gotten between the two roos or perhaps the big guy was trying to breed her and things got ugly. Did you use wound powder? Later you may want some Blu-Kote or No-Peck on that comb.

 

[horsecrazy]

yay!! she is doing better!!

when I came in she was sitting, but in the middle and not on her side, eating pellets. when I approached she stood up and took a few unsteady steps before falling down. I set her on her feet and she stood! I left her standing by her food again.