chicken barely moves, looks bloated

[julia tayloe]

She is not sitting on any eggs, we move them.She is really bloated. Should I take her to the vet tomorrow, if she does not improve?

 

[julia tayloe]

She should be laying if she is two years old they usually start laying at five months

She was laying but not now

 

[peterlund]

She should be laying if she is two years old they usually start laying at five months

True. But this old gal is nearing her end of productivity.... and probably rarely lays consistently. but she still knows her instincts.

 

[peterlund]

Wow. Good producers. Can't help you much more. Vet help here in Northeast for poultry is non existing, and if it was, probably cost prohibited. . It is good that she is eating though. Hooe you find she was just having an "off day".
Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[julia tayloe]

She came out of the coop today and is taking a dust bath with the other chickens! She might have been broody, Thanks for all your help!

 

[rebrascora]

It is normal for a broody hen to take a dust bath during her daily broody breaks. They will get off the nest for about 20-30 mins each day to stretch their legs, eat, drink, poop a stinky whopper and dust bath as needed and then back to the nest. When you say she is bloated, do you mean that her abdomen is swollen or just that she looks wider and flatter than normal. Broody hens flatten down like pancakes onto the nest whether there are eggs in it or not and consequently they look fatter. They stop laying just before they go broody and their comb will go pale and dry looking. They usually growl when they are disturbed and often cluck almost like a ticking clock when they are out during their daily broody break. The huge stinky poop in the run is usually the clincher if you are unsure, as they hold onto their waste for 24 hrs whilst they are on the nest and then drop it in one almighty and disgusting dollop, almost as soon as they get off the nest.

Hold off on the vets visit until you rule out broodiness. It will usually last 3-6 weeks if she is, unless you break her or give her hatching eggs or chicks, so this dust bath will not be the end of it if it is broodiness.

 

[julia tayloe]

It is normal for a broody hen to take a dust bath during her daily broody breaks. They will get off the nest for about 20-30 mins each day to stretch their legs, eat, drink, poop a stinky whopper and dust bath as needed and then back to the nest. When you say she is bloated, do you mean that her abdomen is swollen or just that she looks wider and flatter than normal. Broody hens flatten down like pancakes onto the nest whether there are eggs in it or not and consequently they look fatter. They stop laying just before they go broody and their comb will go pale and dry looking. They usually growl when they are disturbed and often cluck almost like a ticking clock when they are out during their daily broody break. The huge stinky poop in the run is usually the clincher if you are unsure, as they hold onto their waste for 24 hrs whilst they are on the nest and then drop it in one almighty and disgusting dollop, almost as soon as they get off the nest.

Hold off on the vets visit until you rule out broodiness. It will usually last 3-6 weeks if she is, unless you break her or give her hatching eggs or chicks, so this dust bath will not be the end of it if it is broodiness.

THanks for the great advice

 

[peterlund]

My apology.
Email crossed posts.
Glad hen is doing aesome.
Back to my chores

 

[sbhkma]

A broody hen will not lay. She sounds broody to me. Keep an eye on her and you can search this site for ways of dealing with it. I don't let my stay broody in the Texas heat.

 

[julia tayloe]

My apology.
Email crossed posts.
Glad hen is doing aesome.
Back to my chores

Dear Peter, My chicken is doing fine, I was surprised when I
Got the email that my chicken died . I am thankful that I know that she is broody.