My cochin has been very very healthy - one of my first hens - and recently sat on some eggs for 22 days and hatched them (not her eggs)
Since then, she has been caring for them and taking them through the stages of forging food, scratching, and even roosting, (other hens and rooster steer clear as she is a good mama). The hens are about a month old and stay very close to her in the run and hen house and even roosting up with her at night. However, I noticed yesterday and today, she did not go outside of the hen house and is pretty much just sitting down on the floor of the hen house. walking a bit around the hen house but mostly sitting and the babies (1 month old) are staying with her. I went in to see if she was roosting with them last night and she was not. she and the chicks were all on the floor.
Today she is acting the same so I put some antibiotic in the food and dipped her beak in it and she did nothing just stood there. She will peck a little at some treats I put in on the floor but not much and barley makes the noise she used to, to tell her babies here is some food. I also noticed that she is aimlessly walking around and not really scratching and looking up a lot at the walls inside of the hen house and moving her head in weird jerking motions. But other than that, just slow and prefers to sit. I almost feel like she went semi-blind and a little cookoo like thinking she sees stuff in the air within 3 days!!!
I love my little cochin - she is an amazing little mother hen and I am not sure why she is behaving like this. I don't think she is laying at all. and hasnt been for about two months.
There are a lot of her feathers around the hen house too and I do not see her really drink at all and barely eat. No labored breathing or beak staying open.
Can anyone help me understand my little hen's behavior. If she dies, I will feel horrible and for the little ones to.
Many thanks!
Jenine
Since then, she has been caring for them and taking them through the stages of forging food, scratching, and even roosting, (other hens and rooster steer clear as she is a good mama). The hens are about a month old and stay very close to her in the run and hen house and even roosting up with her at night. However, I noticed yesterday and today, she did not go outside of the hen house and is pretty much just sitting down on the floor of the hen house. walking a bit around the hen house but mostly sitting and the babies (1 month old) are staying with her. I went in to see if she was roosting with them last night and she was not. she and the chicks were all on the floor.
Today she is acting the same so I put some antibiotic in the food and dipped her beak in it and she did nothing just stood there. She will peck a little at some treats I put in on the floor but not much and barley makes the noise she used to, to tell her babies here is some food. I also noticed that she is aimlessly walking around and not really scratching and looking up a lot at the walls inside of the hen house and moving her head in weird jerking motions. But other than that, just slow and prefers to sit. I almost feel like she went semi-blind and a little cookoo like thinking she sees stuff in the air within 3 days!!!
I love my little cochin - she is an amazing little mother hen and I am not sure why she is behaving like this. I don't think she is laying at all. and hasnt been for about two months.
There are a lot of her feathers around the hen house too and I do not see her really drink at all and barely eat. No labored breathing or beak staying open.
Can anyone help me understand my little hen's behavior. If she dies, I will feel horrible and for the little ones to.
Many thanks!
Jenine
