Am I over reacting?

[BCMominMD]

I have a 20 week black star who is acting odd. Tucked away under a bush, didn't come when the others came out to greet me & not grazing around the yard today. When I let them out this morning to free range - all seemed fine. I left her there for about 4 hours. I finally went and picked her up to examine her. She didn't struggle (she normally would). Her comb is nice and red. I examined her as best I know how - no discharge. She just seems sleepy when left but alert when handled.
I feed Layena crumbles, a handful of scratch and some cantalope yesterday. Today free ranging in a backyard with woods, lawn. I saw a squirrel eating a white mushroom so I ran around and found a few and got rid of them.
So I put her in a crate in a quiet room with food and water. Just peeked in and she is alert.
My plan is to watch her until this evening and if she seems OK put her back in the coop with the others.
I keep reading to isolate a sick bird. But is she a sick bird?

 

[daryl]

sounds like you are doing the right thing, hope she comes out of it.

 

[LynneP]

Check her crop and vent, but I'm wondering if she is warm or if she might have some eggs out there and has gone broody? Are you missing eggs? She eating/drinking normally? How are her droppings? Good chance to check her thoroughly.

Unless she is ill, don't keep her away from the others too long- pecking order may be disrupted...

 

[BCMominMD]

Quote:
Checked crop and vent. They are both fine.
I'm not sure who is laying yet? We just started getting a few brown eggs in the past week.
I'll watch for pooping, eating and drinking
Thanks I thought about not wanting to mess up the pecking order.

 

[threehorses]

She might be thinking of laying. Feeding her some yogurt and offering them all some oyster shell free choice will really help laying. Laying feed is designed for the scientifically average hen, but we use oyster shells (not egg shells) as a good bioavailable source of calcium for new layers, and offer to all hens of laying age as sometimes hens need as much as a 15:1 cal/phos ratio. (Laying feed is designed with only 6-8 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus, aka 6:1).

Information on her droppings will be important. It wouldn't hurt if she does this 2 more days to put on gloves, oil your index finger of your right hand, and insert into her vent to see if maybe she's laid a first huge egg. Use your off-hand to gently feel her abdomen. Also check her vent - is it tight, dry, and scaley - or larger, full, dilated, waxy, and relaxed? That's how you tell who's laying.