Chicken keeps laying down and panting

[swuthrich]

We have a chicken names Ariel, who often gets bullied. Last week we noticed the other chickens had been pecking her neck. Just feathers missing and no bad injuries so everyday we've been putting the purple lotion anti peck stuff on it. (The lotion on her neck in the pic is the anti peck stuff).

Today when we outside, she was out and about with the other chickens, acting fine but then my husband told me she kept laying down. So I went down there and noticed she would lay down on her curled up toes. And then she seemed to pant so I got her some water. It was 70 yesterday but aside from that, it hasn't been hot.

we saw her poop and it was runny. We felt all around her and she didn't feel egg bound or anything. I'm concerned for her. We also washed her vent off in warm water and dried her off. Any idea on what's wrong?

We did switch their food to layer feed a week to two weeks ago but she seems to be eating just fine!

I've attached a picture of her while she was laying down, panting. Thank you!

 

[ChickonInc]

Sounds like she maybe hot. Or maybe she if being disturbed while trying to lay and getting stressed out. Get a eye dropper and put some water in her. Should help. Check if she has been laying

 

[swuthrich]

Okay! Thanks! I gave her some water sitting down and she was drinking a little bit. We are not sure if she's laying yet or not. My husband said he retrievered a soft egg a couple days ago. Maybe that was hers?

 

[cutiepie960]

Hello,
My heather been laying 8 straight days 1st day she laid at 10:30 a.m. 2nd day same time 3rd day at 11:00 a.m. 4th day 11:30 a.m 6th thru 8th day 1:00 p.m. it is 89 to 90 degrees here its really realy bad here in hawaii SO HOT & the later she lays the hotter it gets & she is a feral that wandered into my yard & so she doesn't have a nest box she has been laying under a tin roof which isn't in the shade but situated out in the sun!!! after she lays 1 egg each day she starts to pant & i am deathly afraid for her.... My roo henry waits patiently for her while she's laying but he couldn't take the heat & waited in the shade he too was panting but has stop after going in the shade!! My problem with heather is her timing is getting later & later laying her egg... Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a bunch!
Cutiepie960

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello,
My heather been laying 8 straight days 1st day she laid at 10:30 a.m. 2nd day same time 3rd day at 11:00 a.m. 4th day 11:30 a.m 6th thru 8th day 1:00 p.m. it is 89 to 90 degrees here its really realy bad here in hawaii SO HOT & the later she lays the hotter it gets & she is a feral that wandered into my yard & so she doesn't have a nest box she has been laying under a tin roof which isn't in the shade but situated out in the sun!!! after she lays 1 egg each day she starts to pant & i am deathly afraid for her.... My roo henry waits patiently for her while she's laying but he couldn't take the heat & waited in the shade he too was panting but has stop after going in the shade!! My problem with heather is her timing is getting later & later laying her egg... Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a bunch!
Cutiepie960

Hi @cutiepie960 Sorry we missed your post. Sometimes it will get seen if you make a new one instead of adding to an old post.

How is your hen doing?
It sounds like she has found a nice sheltered area to lay her eggs, so you may not be able to discourage her from that location unless you provide a better, more shaded area. Hens are stubborn about where they lay

The only thing I can suggest doing, is make cool water available for them in the shaded area - this way when she is done, she can re-hydrate herself and hopefully cool down a bit.

There's also nothing you can do about her timing - an egg is laid roughly every 26-28hrs if a hen lays just about everyday. This moves the time later in the day.

 

[cutiepie960]

Hi @cutiepie960 Sorry we missed your post. Sometimes it will get seen if you make a new one instead of adding to an old post.

How is your hen doing?
It sounds like she has found a nice sheltered area to lay her eggs, so you may not be able to discourage her from that location unless you provide a better, more shaded area. Hens are stubborn about where they lay

The only thing I can suggest doing, is make cool water available for them in the shaded area - this way when she is done, she can re-hydrate herself and hopefully cool down a bit.

There's also nothing you can do about her timing - an egg is laid roughly every 26-28hrs if a hen lays just about everyday. This moves the time later in the day.

Hello,
Thank u very much for the reply Ok thats what i thought it seems like she will continue to lay there, my heather seems fine she dustbathed a 1/2 hour after laying she's eating, drinking, moving out & about with my roo henry but i noticed around 6:00 p.m last night it started too cool down a bit but still warm she pooped watery with some brown & white goo mixed in & started to pant but as the night wore on she flew up in the tree to roost & this a.m. she is moving along fine with the roo... Also i noticed that while she was dust bathing & flopping her wings i noticed some missing feathers with skin & what looks like some pin feathers attached... Not sure if she is molting i know my roo henry is molting coz he lost all of his tail feathers but are now starting to grow back.. I read that hens stop laying if they are molting so i'm really confused as i am a first time beginner with hens & roosters... Btw i just have 1 roo & 1 hen like i said she is feral whom she adopted me as her caretaker so i don't really know much about her at all... I don't know her breed, her age, but i'm assuming she's quite young and just started laying 8 days ago...She's a small hen so far she has laid 8 beautiful light brown eggs 2 of the 8 a tiny bit mishapen but u can't tell if it is a little mishapen you'll have to really look good to tell if it is....They both free range all day at night my roo roosts in his coop & heather roosts in the tree....Here in Hawaii we have no predators just cats which occasionally chases her but its really nothing at all.... B/c she is feral she is easily spooked & makes a bee line if i get close to her...Today will be another HOT & HUMID 84 degrees & i'm scared for heather as she continues to lay but i will make sure she gets access to fresh cold water after she lays! Thanks again for responding!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm glad she is still doing o.k.

In hot weather chickens can have watery poop because they are drinking a lot.

If you saw pin feathers replacing the feathers that were missing, she is either starting to molt or she may still having some feathers coming in if she is young. Most hens either produce less eggs during molt or stop laying, but it's not unheard of for them to lay during molt.

It sounds like you are doing what you can for her. Since she is feral, providing cool fresh water and possibly throw out a few goodies of a little fruit/greens to her now and again, she may become more friendly as well.

 

[cutiepie960]

Thank u so much Wyrop Rock! Is it safe to eat her eggs even tho she is feral??? Her eggs are beautiful but small in size... My neighbors are saying its really ok to eat them saying its fresher than the store ones that we buy but my family is hesitant to eat just b/c she's feral or they are afraid to get sick! Note: Everyday she lays them i go & collect them as soon as she leaves the nest i do not let those eggs sit more than 10 mins... Thank u for relpying i appreciate u very much!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I don't see any reason why you can't eat her eggs

 

[junebuggena]

Her eggs are likely much healthier for you and your family than anything store bought. Those eggs are usually a few months old, not to mention the living conditions of the birds that laid them.