chicken not looking well

[casportpony]

Which was the point I was making. A broody hen will not starve itself to death simply because it is broody. A sick or neglected one will.

I agree, but many people will let them sit while they get anemic from mites just because they don't know any better. Really broody hens do need to be looked after and checked for mites and other signs of illness.

-Kathy

 

[Michael Apple]

I agree, but many people will let them sit while they get anemic from mites just because they don't know any better. Really broody hens do need to be looked after and checked for mites and other signs of illness.

-Kathy

Gotcha. Those people need to stop that, lol.

 

[ten chicks]

Sorry to disagree,but broody hens can and do starve themselves which leads to malnourishment which leads to other issues,my hen is NOT ill,but has to be broken of being broody everytime as she will not leave nest. I have personally seen birds that have become ill due to malnourishment from broodiness and unfortunately many are not aware of the dangers involved with leaving some hens broody. They start to lose weight and then they become susceptible to other issues. The hens i have seen did not have pre-existing conditions,the only issue was becoming malnourished from broodiness. This is factual information,if you don't trust me,do a search and you will see it is more common than you think.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Some people believe that the act of laying eggs is equivalent to pregnancy in humans. It isn't so. In chickens the act of sitting is the human equivalency of pregnancy. A hen laying an egg is only equivalent to a human woman ovulating.

When a hens goes broody many changes take place in her body, just like changes takes place in a pregnant woman's' body. I'll allow the mothers out there to enumerate the ways that being pregnant are uncomfortable, then through in the following.

I want you mothers out there to ponder being pregnant and having to sit quietly in only one position for 3 or 4 days at a time.

Think about not eating or drinking for 3 or 4 days at a time.

Think about being pregnant and not seeing or feeling the Sun on you face for 3 or 4 days at a time.

What do you ladies think it is like to not be able to have a bathroom break for 3 or 4 days in a row.

And if your chickens' premises has mites, and most do, try to imagine sitting in one spot day and night for 96 hours at a time and let bed bugs gnaw on your hide and feast on your blood!

For a hen to lay eggs she MUST be in good health. Allowing hens to sit, and sit, and sit, for no reason is cruel in the extreme, and it only damages your hens future health and makes them more susceptible to contracting deadly diseases.

 

[casportpony]

I used one hen this year for my pea eggs, she sat from May through October. Did she suffer? Yes, but I kept a verry close eye on her and made sure she got off the nest to eat. Would I do it again? No, I believe her effectiveness as a broody ended in August. She was wormed and dusted for bugs on a regular basis.

-Kathy

 

[vestal]

Thanks for the replys she hasn't been broody for a month now. She eats and drinks, poos are normal and has no mites. I'm thinking more that she is molting. But could be wrong. Her feathers don't look healthy

 

[Michael Apple]

Get some Avian Super Pack dispersible powder and start adding it to the waterer 3 days a week:
http://www.randallburkey.com/Avian-Super-Pack-_-ASP-4-OZ/productinfo/26094/#.UtaXRftLmnQ
It is 1/4 tsp per gallon of water. At the same time, mix 1/2 tsp of Probios dispersible powder for each gallon of water. Make this fresh each morning as the only drinking source for birds. What are you feeding your hens?

 

[vestal]

she is starting to look better now and back to her normal self
must have been moulting
thanks everyone for your replies

 

[casportpony]