chicken acting strange

[chickenwhispererjf]

My little hen Nugget (Rhode Island red) is only 1 1/2 yrs old but she has been acting strange for 2 days. Normally she lays every day (big eggs for a little hen her size) but the last 2 days she goes in her nest for a while and then comes out, no egg. I thought maybe she might be getting egg bound so I took a dropper and filled it with oil and "shot"it in her rear.. like to lubricate it, I saw no egg or anything when I examined her. I also gave her a diluted little bit of antibiotic that I mixed in water... but I can;t figure this out, she is still eating but she is rather legarthic and usually she runs around very quickly and is very energetic. I hope she isn't fixing to die. I lost one hen not too long ago to complications of being egg bound. I don;t know what else to do for her. I am starting to get discouraged about having chickens now, its too traumatic when I lose one,. Nugget sits on my lap and falls asleep and is so affectionate I will be very depressed if something happens to her

 

[aoxa]

Is she molting? It is the time of year for that. Chickens don't lay while molting. They do get tired and tend to eat a lot less during a molt as well.

 

[collisinana]

Is she molting? It is the time of year for that. Chickens don't lay while molting. They do get tired and tend to eat a lot less during a molt as well.

Yes, I would agree with you, my chickens are molting right now. I wouldn't worry about
It too much unless she isn't molting.

 

[chickenwhispererjf]

I took her to the bird vet here in town and he said she was retaining fluid and it was already affecting her breathing. That it was possible an egg was caught in the tube wayyy up high or an obstruction, etc. He said the first 3 yrs of a chickens life are the most suscepible to illnesses and disease. He said we could do surgery but he might open her up and find cancer or any number of serious things also she was weak and had trouble breathing, she may not survive surgery. He said he could drain the fluid to "make the quality of her life better" but bottom line is she was dying. I asked him to put her to sleep and he asked me to take her to the State lab in another town and they would humanely euthanized her and then do a free autopsy, that way we would know and it it was contagious try and save the other chickens. I drove her while she sat peacefully on my lap, she is that mellow and friendly. She answered to her name and then I handed her to the tech and kissed her goodbye. I have decided no more new chickens for me, I will just see to the remaining 3 and then that's it. I cant take the heartbreak, she was like a dog, so loving and adorable. RIP, little Nugget

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry about Nugget. It's terribly sad when they die. You did everything you could. You take really good care of your chickens. Hope you'll want more one day

 

[collisinana]

I'm really sorry, I used to have a little duckling that I hatched that got sick and died. I know how it feels :'( I love all of my chickens and I have my share of heart breakers. It always seems like the chickens I love are the ones that come out missing. Just yesterday on of my chickens got attacked by a hawk. Having chickens can be a series of ups and downs. I'm sure nugget wouldn't have wanted to spoil your chicken experience.