8-month old D'uccle bantam lethargic, puffing her feathers, meandering and not eating.

[Goofy Chick]

Hi. I have recently joined this website to post this topic (although my sister is registered and I have visited the site many times). My little hen has a problem, and I can't tell if it is a disease or she'd going broody. Since yesterday, she has been walking around very slowly; she hasn't been eating or drinking (though I made her drink a little bit this morning and she has eaten very little food from my hand--and feeling her crop, it is so small.) When she pooped today, it was green and slightly bubbly. She keeps acting like she's unbalanced and continues all day long to keep her feathers fluffed up around her. On Monday, she was sitting on her own little nest and scooting eggs under her, then getting back up and rearranging them.

I need to know if she is just broody (and nothing to worry about?) or that she really is sick. This chicken is very dear to me, and I've raised her from a chick. Please, immediately tell me what I should do.

Thanks. - Goofy Chick.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. My Mille Fleur D'uccle stays broody most of the year until I break her. If she is on her nest most of the day staring into space or with her head down, she is probably broody. If she is removed from her nest she may run back to it, unless she has to poop (big smelly greenish broody poops) or she might get a bite or a drink, then run right back to her nest. If you put any egg in with her she will immediately pull it under her. Look at her belly to see if she has pulled out a few feathers--common with broodies. I would keep an eye on her just in case she is sick, and maybe daily offer her a little scrambled egg. Good luck, and post back here if you have more questions.

 

[Goofy Chick]

Thank you so much, Egg! The scrambled-egg trick worked, and she started eating a little bit. I can't say that she's eating entirely on her own; she is sleeping a lot and pretty much doesn't stay with the flock. Although my parents and I suspect she's broody, she's not even thinking about eggs. I showed her one, and she ignored it. I put one on a nest, and took her over to see it (as she doesn't want to walk very far and stays behind when her flock leaves to another section of the yard) and she doesn't seem interested. Have you ever read about a hen (or had one, by any chance) that's "broody" but doesn't stay on a nest or lay an egg?

Today she looks like she might be more mobile, but they way she stayed just standing and her feathers ruffled up, she is still very lethargic. I hope she gets better. Thanks, again, anyway. I'll probably check back here with some more updates sooner or later.