Bird acting depressed

[Snack Giver]

One of my 6 hens (barred cuckoo maran)has recently started just hanging out by herself most of the day. She seems sad. She doesn't run around following the herd like normal. Here in Seattle the weather has changed, it's now cloudy, gray and cool. She is puffing out and looking bigger too. She just sits in one or 2 of her new favorite private spots while the other birds scratch and wander our huge backyard. She also has not laid an egg for a week. This is new. I see no diarrhea or signs of sickness. Could the fall weather change her egg laying? 2 changes recently: we got a new small leghorn who is sweet to everyone, not mean. And I completely changed all hay and nesting material in the coop on the same day from straw to cedar shavings. Don't know if that matters for laying. She is eating and drinking. Just not walking around and not laying. She isn't molting, her feathers are super full and she looks bigger.

 

[SilkieBantams]

How old is she? I'm thinking that her egg production could be reaching it's peak or it ended

 

[jjthink]

Please provide any additional info you can think of. e.g. how old is she, what is her diet, do your hens have oyster shell available, what is the color of her comb (nice and red or has it gotten pale?)
Unfortunately she may be eggbound or she may have become an internal layer. If she weren't lethargic I would say she could be getting ready to go into a molt (given the cessation of egg laying) but the lethargy indicates she is sick.
Both eggbound and internal laying are serious and would need prompt attention.
Another possibility might be worms, mites or lice but usually with a bad infestation there is weight loss.
If you are able to bring her to an avian vet, blood work would reveal whether she has infection and inflammation that needs treatment.
I would immediately get rid of cedar shavings and go to pine. There are a litany of reports of serious respiratory effects on chickens from cedar shavings.
JJ

 

[Snack Giver]

Ok thanks for the info. She is about 9 months old. Her comb is fading red compared to the other layers in the group. She has actually pepped up this afternoon. We brought her crickets today and gave her a good looking over inside. She lost a lot of feathers today. They are everywhere. So I now believe she may be molting and I was wrong on that. I just haven't seen balding yet. Her diet is great, in addition to oyster, they all get yogurt and cheese almost daily (some like them some don't). I pay attention to what I read on here and have taken steps for proper diet, ventilation, and safety. The newest bird came from the same chicken farm as the others. I am dealing with bumblefoot in my 2 big birds and scaly mites in 3 birds. That's why the bed change. Both conditions and all birds seem to be getting better. Thank you for the info on cedar not being good. It's easy to change it again.

I believe my cuckoo is getting ready to molt.

 

[jjthink]

It'll be great if it's 'just' molting coming on. It's harder on some birds than others. Extra nutrition, extra protein, extra TLC, extra warmth...may be needed.

JJ

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Cedar shavings are generally not recommended because the "off gassing" of the cedar oil is said to be toxic. (I've also read that a few people say it is fine) Anyway, pine shavings are generally recommended as the safer choice. However, it sounds like you've only got one hen acting sickly, so don't know if that has anything to do with it at all.

They do slow down egg production generally beginning this time of year. Especially if they are going into a molt. But, yes, as has been mentioned previously, it might be a good idea to check to see if she might be egg bound.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

STOP STOP STOP.

Change out the coop again.

Cedar shavings are TOXIC to them.

 

[Snack Giver]

OK I just pulled out all the cedar shaving and filled the green recycle bin. What I already had was Aspen shavings. God I hope that is as safe as pine. It's what I have here right now. If Aspen is bad, tell me.

Now my molting cuckoo gets layer feed but we will start on the extra meal worms in the morning for TLC. She can eat 30 superworms in 30 seconds lol. I already knew about this from when our Barnevelder molted last in July I looked up what to do. We also give either wet cat food and mashed boiled eggs to any bird almost daily. Sometimes steak off the dinner plate(no salt).

Cedar shavings GONE now.

 

[Snack Giver]

I just made this little video. You can see my little barred birdy chilling. She's acting more herself this afternoon and yes there are stripped feathers on the ground today.