Chicken Drinking A Lot of Water

[jodiefoster]

I have a little bantam polish hen who is 7 months old, lately she has started drinking every time she sees the dish. In a few short minutes I will watch her go over and drink several times. This has been happening for 3 days. Her crop is empty in the morning and doesn't seem to be extremely hard or mushy. Her poops were normal until yesterday when of course they became watery from drinking so much. It is also a problem because her head feathers are becoming soaked. She takes a sip of water and shakes her head flinging water of the dish, then goes back for another sip and does that over and over again. I have removed feathers to try and keep her dry at least but it hasn't helped. I put a nipple water pail in today but am not sure how long it will take for her to learn to use it and surely can't take the other water our to encourage use. Any suggestions as to why she is so thirsty and how to train to a nipple would be appreciated.

 

[Skippersnh]

they eat and drink more in the winter

 

[aart]

Her crop is empty in the morning and doesn't seem to be extremely hard or mushy.

Is crop full at night?
Are those 2 pics the same bird?

When I have a bird acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[jodiefoster]

Is crop full at night?
Are those 2 pics the same bird?

When I have a bird acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

Those are the same bird. One she has full feathers on her head and the other her head is all wet from drinking so often and flinging the water about. I removed feathers but it is not helping. Thank you so much, I have a crate exactly like you describe. I just did a full check on her and the crop is full and her underbelly seems to be normal, smooth, no lumps or bumps.

 

[jodiefoster]

Those are the same bird. One she has full feathers on her head and the other her head is all wet from drinking so often and flinging the water about. I removed feathers but it is not helping. Thank you so much, I have a crate exactly like you describe.

Is crop full at night?
Are those 2 pics the same bird?

When I have a bird acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

So I tried to isolate her in the cage and she freeked, she was going to get hurt. The other chickens really didnt like the whole idea either and were flapping about. I spent most of the day in the pen today and she pecks at the ground and scratches constantly when there is no food there. I put food where she is scratching and she doesnt eat it up. I made special scrambled eggs to see if she would eat that up and she had a few pecks and moved on to the ground again. I have only had her about a month and the previous owner said they took care of themselves, free range 100 percent. I am not sure if the fact that she is not able to eat fresh grass all the time part of the problem. She has so many different dishes and feed types, I just do not know what to do to ensure she is eating properly. Any more advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[aart]

So I tried to isolate her in the cage and she freeked, she was going to get hurt. The other chickens really didnt like the whole idea either and were flapping about.

That's too bad.

I put food where she is scratching and she doesnt eat it up.

That's odd.
Maybe because she was never fed chicken feed before?

 

[jodiefoster]

That's too bad.


That's odd.
Maybe because she was never fed chicken feed before?

I am really starting to wonder if that isn't the case. I have some wheat growing for greens that I will let her try tomorrow and see if that is what she wants. She is very energetic and shows no signs of illness or trouble, so I will work diligently to get her eating properly.

 

[aart]

I have some wheat growing for greens that I will let her try tomorrow and see if that is what she wants.

Drop some chicken feed in with the wheat grass.

 

[jodiefoster]

Drop some chicken feed in with the wheat grass.

Excellent suggestion thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that her crop is empty by morning, and fills up gradually during the day. If it is full in the morning, there may be a crop disorder. That might possibly make one drink more water. Also make sure that she has access to granite poultry grit to help digest food and seeds. Is that scratch grains in her bowl or a scratch and peck type feed?