9 Month Old Speckled Sussex Fluffed Up Not Moving Much

[rebrascora]

Heads up, I just looked at your photo again and think they need ventilation added to the coop. Unless there’s an open window not shown in the photo?

Well spotted! Also that coop looks pretty small for 6 large fowl chickens which means ventilation will be more of an issue. It only looks to be about 3x3 which is way too cramped if I am right. Also, I cannot see a door on it which is a concern for predators getting in maybe I am missing something. I appreciate that you have it in a cage but weasels/stoats/mink and rats could all easily get in through that size wire mesh by the look of things. I don't know if you have any of these predators in your area or other similar sized hungry beasties that like to order fresh chicken off the menu, but it is important to consider.
I'm not sure what is wrong with your girl. She may be trying to pass a soft shelled egg. That really takes it out of them.

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

Heads up, I just looked at your photo again and think they need ventilation added to the coop. Unless there’s an open window not shown in the photo?

The door to the coop doesn't shut because its inside of a giant enclosed pen so that's always an open hole. They also have a 3 inch gap at the top that runs all the way across. We actually plan to rebuild their coop this spring. Since they are all grown up we figure they need an upgrade!

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

Well spotted! Also that coop looks pretty small for 6 large fowl chickens which means ventilation will be more of an issue. It only looks to be about 3x3 which is way too cramped if I am right. Also, I cannot see a door on it which is a concern for predators getting in maybe I am missing something. I appreciate that you have it in a cage but weasels/stoats/mink and rats could all easily get in through that size wire mesh by the look of things. I don't know if you have any of these predators in your area or other similar sized hungry beasties that like to order fresh chicken off the menu, but it is important to consider.
I'm not sure what is wrong with your girl. She may be trying to pass a soft shelled egg. That really takes it out of them.

Yeah we plan to upgrade this coop. This is the first coop we built when they were just old enough to go outside. Now that they are this big, we are going to build a 5 x6 in the spring and extend the pen 5 feet. I actually want to free range them, but the dog might eat them. We have a yard dog who seems to keep predators away. The pen has a 1 foot chicken wire skirt to prevent digging predators. We haven't seen any evidence of other smaller predators. We did have a blue Jay fly into the coop once so we have learned that we need to add chicken wire over the pen part to make the grid smaller.

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

Did you check under her wings and around the vent in case she has lice or mites?

Yes. No evidence of parasites.

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

My light Sussex hen did this this winter when it got cold and froze .so she decided to go broody doing the same thing .all she wants to do is sit in the same spot . she's sitting on infertile eggs and doesn't care
maybe the fact that the eggs are keeping her Underside warm like warm rocks I don't know .silly bird I keep taking the eggs away and she keeps laying more and sitting on them .
But and this is why I think she's doing it because of the cold..... if I put the heater on in the garage and it warms it up to 46 degrees or 50 degrees, she gets up and walks around like a normal chicken. if I turn the heater off and it goes back down to 26, she settles right into that broody thing again. so maybe put your chicken someplace where it's warmer and see if she starts acting normal again.
Best Karen
in frigid 12 degree western Pennsylvania USA

Last night it was 26. She does just go back to the same spot to sit.

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

Update:

Went to the coop this morning and things are pretty much the same. Her comb looks fine. Everyone is pecking around except Shaw. She did actually eat and drink this morning but then goes back to the same corner and sits. Everyone's crops feel empty. I will add the grit though so thanks for the advice! I am attaching a picture so you can see what she looks like and what she is doing. I took a video but the file is too large. Ill try to cut it down.
*P.S. They've made a mess of the pen this morning. This is before the food and water got straightened up. LOL

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

They’re so cute!
My chickens tend to look a little poofy when they head into molt. She might start a juvenile/mini molt. Check for feathers under the roost in the morning.
Also, you mentioned eggshell for grinding. Egg shell is good for a calcium boost, but actual grit (small, jagged stones, preferably granite) help the gizzard grind up food. You might want to check all their crops first thing in the morning to make sure they empty completely. Keep us posted and good luck!

There actually were some sussex feathers in the coop this morning. I don't know if they belong to Shawshank or to Chocken. (Don't ask..lol).

 

[Rebecca Thomas]

Basically she looks like a ball with a head just sitting in the corner.

 

[micstrachan]

She is beautiful. Kudos to you being on top of things. She looks healthy to me, so I think you caught it early. Is there any change in egg production? You’re already supplying egg shell in addition to layer feed, so I wouldn’t think she’s having trouble with an egg (though it’s possible). Without other symptoms, I still suspect she might have a mini molt. Please keep us posted. I hope someone else has some ideas, but it doesn’t seem too serious yet.

 

[micstrachan]

I’m sorry. I’m doing this on my phone, & some of the pictures didn’t appear to me the first time. I missed the part that you have seen Sussex feathers. I also missed the picture of her body language, which doesn’t look good. But still, I think it may just be a little molt. Fingers crossed.