chicken is very quiet and is slowly walking around

[karen m]

Please can someone help me, this morning one of my chickens is very quiet and is slowly walking around and keeps moving away from the other girls, i have 4 al together, she was fine last night, running around and happy with the others. I really dont know what to do i keep watching her and she keeps hiding under the trees.

.....my girls are only point of lay so i am wondering if she is about to lay an egg

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Quote:
I had a few behaving like that and 2 dropped dead suddenly. I investigated and it was lice. After treatment they are all laying better and have more energy, able to fly to higher roosts. Sometimes wild birds bring parasites or disease to our flock. Even though we start with healthy little chicks that are fed right and loved. Tts important to remember regular care. I'm not saying this is what is happening to you but rather sharing my own experience and hopefully giving you something you can rule out. Its easy to check for lice just look between the feathers and see if you see any small bugs crawling around. Sometimes they are red or black so its easy to spot them on a white bird. If one has them, assume they all have them and provide a dust bath with sand and you can add fossil clay if you are organic, takes several weeks or a month to treat or you can use some garden insecticide called Sevin-5 for instant treatment. Just dust them with it or provide a bath with about 2% of the clay or insecticide.

Another good way to dust birds for external parasites (mites or lice) is to cut off a leg from some panty-hose, fill with the dust of choice tie off the end and rub it up and down. Bugs like the thick feathery spots like the vent, and legs but dust everywhere, avoiding the head. Avoid the birds breathing in either dust. The fossil clay is called Diatomaceous Earth and you can get it at the feed store. 50lb bags are pretty cheap and last a long time. I provide the clay dust bath and then check a few random birds every month or so.

P.S. This is kind of in the wrong section. I want to be helpful but you might get more help from more experienced folks in the emergency / disease section.