Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Fancychooklady]

Ok I am after some advice please. My Faverolles pullet is walking around verrrrrry slowly today. Like with a duck waddle. And her tail is pointing down. She is sitting quietly in her coop today rather than being outside with the others as she usually is.

She has never laid before, could this be related to egg laying??

Or does it sound more like sickness?

As Teila said, it could just be the egg ' waddle ' but depending on her age she may have other issues. Sometimes a gentle massage towards the vent will help her pass the egg, but best to isolate her and check her poops.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

SilkieChickStar Hopefully someone more experienced will advise you soon but in the meantime, I will share my thoughts.

The waddle, lethargy and tail pointing down can be a sign of internal laying or problems with may be that first egg.  The symptoms are similar to those I have seen occasionally when they are attempting to lay a soft shelled egg.  Also those of my bantam Leghorn who we lost due to internal laying.

However, I believe it can also be a sign of other issues, worms, parasites or other sickness.  They can sometimes have those symptoms when feeling unwell.

If it was me, I would be checking out her poops; any diarrhoea or other abnormality? and checking out her crop. 

Any signs of her appearing to be straining?

How is her breathing?  Comb colour is good?

Her breathing is ok and her comb is quite red. But she is definitely not herself. Her poops look pretty normal atm.

 

[Anniebee]

Ok I am after some advice please. My Faverolles pullet is walking around verrrrrry slowly today. Like with a duck waddle. And her tail is pointing down. She is sitting quietly in her coop today rather than being outside with the others as she usually is.

She has never laid before, could this be related to egg laying??

Or does it sound more like sickness?

SilkieChickStar .......... I too am not adept at diagnosing whatever might be off or strange about chicken behaviour. I agree with all the checks mentioned here - which you have answered - comb colour good, poop normal, breathing ok.

From the " Contented Chicken" book, Favorolles are listed as heavy birds. And googling the same info. they are indeed heavier than many others.

The point I wish to make, is - sure, it could be a first egg coming on, and hormones running riot etc. But it might also be the size / weight of your young bird that she is finding hard to deal with. Being young she might not have as much strength to deal with her own weight - whatever that might be at this stage. Example :

=======

My Mandy Welsummer ( shown as a 'medium' in weight ) is one of the heaviest and largest chickens I ( and many others ) have ever seen. [ Could well be termed a freak ] The first comment I usually hear is "Good GRIEF - she is massive " with a few expletives thrown in.

She doesn't exactly 'waddle', but it looks like a waddle, as she is very slow and deliberate with her walk. On various days her tail points downwards. My heart sinks every time I see that. Yet later in the day, or the next morning she will be out and about, tail upright and no worries.

She is almost 4 years of age, and has been doing this for at least 2 + years. She also retires to bed at times during the day, and also will plonk herself down outside, as though just resting. I watch her closely. Her eyes are bright, she had ( I thought ) recently finished her moult, she is the one with the tail feathers 'chewed' recently, and she has now lost those again ( as though going into another moult ). Her comb becomes paler in a moult, and brightens to red when not moulting. Her breathing is good, her woopsies - that's another weird situation. When in lay mode, she squirts a huge loose bowel which can be heard from anywhere in the garden !! The urate in that is always white. However, when moulting it all changes back to large but firm bowel, again with white urate.

She has not laid an egg ( that I know of - although there might have been a few back in April ) for weeks now, but this is not unusual for her. I can NEVER feel a full crop on her, but boy do I know she eats and drinks well. In fact I cannot identify the crop area at all.
She brightens up hugely, if brought into the laundry, her dirty feathers clipped away from around the vent. Very warm but not hot, towelling applied to her rear end and belly, and a soft massage towards the vent- and around the belly gently. She thinks she is Christmas. She loves a bit of TLC, but is difficult to catch before hand. She feels heavier than any cat I have ever owned ( including the fatter ones ). Silly me - I have never weighed her, and that would be quite easy. I would guess her very near to 5 kg.

.......... Thought this might give a different take on what is bothering your young favorolles. ..... Weight bearing.

Cheers ........

 

[SilkieChickStar]

SilkieChickStar ..........  I too am not adept at diagnosing whatever might be off or strange about chicken behaviour.     I agree with all the checks mentioned here - which you have answered - comb colour good, poop normal, breathing ok.  

From the " Contented Chicken" book, Favorolles are listed as heavy birds.  And googling the same info. they are indeed heavier than many others.  

The point I wish to make, is - sure, it could be a first egg coming on, and hormones running riot etc.   But it might also be the size / weight  of your young bird that she is finding hard to deal with.   Being young she might not have as much strength to deal with her own weight - whatever that might be at this stage.   Example :    

======= 

My Mandy Welsummer ( shown as a 'medium' in weight ) is one of the heaviest and largest chickens I ( and many others ) have ever seen.  [ Could well be termed a freak ] The first comment I usually hear is "Good GRIEF - she is massive " with a few expletives thrown in.   

She doesn't exactly 'waddle', but it looks like a waddle, as she is very slow and deliberate with her walk.    On various days her tail points downwards. My heart sinks every time I see that.   Yet later in the day, or the next morning she will be out and about, tail upright and no worries.  

She is almost 4 years of age, and has been doing this for at least 2 + years.   She also retires to bed at times during the day, and also will plonk herself down outside, as though just resting.   I watch her closely.   Her eyes are bright, she had ( I thought ) recently finished her moult, she is the one with the tail feathers 'chewed' recently, and she has now lost those again ( as though going into another moult ).   Her comb becomes paler in a moult, and brightens to red when not moulting.   Her breathing is good, her woopsies - that's another weird situation.   When in lay mode, she squirts a huge loose bowel which can be heard from anywhere in the garden !!  The urate in that is always white.   However, when moulting it all changes back to  large but firm bowel, again with white urate.    

She has not laid an egg ( that I know of - although there might have been a few back in April ) for weeks now, but this is not unusual for her.   I can NEVER feel a full crop on her, but boy do I know she eats and drinks well.  In fact I cannot identify the crop area at all.  
She brightens up hugely, if brought into the laundry, her dirty feathers clipped away from around the vent.   Very warm but not hot, towelling applied to her rear end and belly, and a soft massage towards the vent- and around the belly gently.   She thinks she is Christmas.   She loves a bit of TLC, but is difficult to catch before hand.   She feels heavier than any cat I have ever owned ( including the fatter ones ).  Silly me - I have never weighed her, and that would be quite easy.   I would guess her very near to 5 kg.   

.......... Thought this might give a different take on what is bothering your young favorolles. ..... Weight bearing.  

Cheers ........  

She is only a bantam and a little thing so although excellent thinking I don't think it is that.

I did give her some TLC and a bath this morning thinking if it is egg related that might help also.

She is eating and drinking at the moment so that's a positive

 

[Coram]

Three Belgians and a fat Faverolles.

 

[Coram]

The desperate OEG bantam roo. Tries to get a girlfriend. They beat him up, but he's always back super keen.

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Three Belgians and a fat Faverolles.

Just gorgeous!
How does the large faverolles go with the bantams? Mine is a sweetheart and doesn't bother them at all but she's a bantam size

 

[Coram]

With his Coronation Sussex girl.

 

[Coram]

Just gorgeous!
How does the large faverolles go with the bantams? Mine is a sweetheart and doesn't bother them at all but she's a bantam size

Hi Silkie! They are fine now. I had to keep a close eye on them during the introduction stage, but now the 3 Belgians and 2 Faverolles share the same roost every night. I am getting huge eggs from the Faverolles!! The Belgians fly into my lap for treats and let me pick them up. I can't speak highly enough of them as a breed.

 

[Coram]

Post election bantam