Chicken slowing down?

[itoismycat]

I have had a pet chicken for 5 years now, and about a week ago, she started sitting. She has always been a worker, never taking more than a few minutes to rest. Now, she sits almost all of the time. Is she slowing down, or is something else wrong?

 

[chickenannie]

Did she hurt her leg? Maybe she's sick or eggbound? Is she going broody and sitting on an egg?

 

[itoismycat]

She seems to be favoring one leg but we can't see anything wrong. This bird has a better work ethic than most people. I would say 90% of her day she was into something. Starting Saturday she starting siting more and more. Now she moves around maybe 10% of the time. She laid an egg Saturday and everything else seems normal except she sits all over the backyard and basicly looks pretty content. A friend of my wifes who raises chickens told us to be prepared, that she's winding down and will pass soon. Less than a week ago she was the hardest working chicken in show business so I can't except this.

 

[chickenannie]

I read recently that chickens can live 12-15 years. I would not just assume she's getting old and dying. I would definitely check on her leg and rest of her body to make sure she's not suffering from something and needs special care. You should check her poo (maybe she has worms or coccidosis), see if she has lice, perhaps supplement with Avian vitamins in her water. check out any symptoms and this board has tons of advice with various sicknesses.

 

[itoismycat]

Took the chicken to the vet and the vet said she looked healthy but did think she was favoring a leg. Still waiting for results of a fecal test to she if maybe she has a parasite. She still sits alot but is eating and sometimes walks around the yard but usually to find another place to sit. I sure miss her destroying my gardens and doing her chicken dance in the yard.

 

[woodward farms]

could she be coming up on a molt?

have you had greater temperature swings from night to day?

 

[itoismycat]

It's been awhile now and she seems a little better. It has been very hot here, El Paso, Texas, about 100 degees all week. Fecal results were negative so we're assuming maybe some arthritis has set in. The vet said put an asprin in her water but that she seems like a healthy bird. She did stop laying two weeks ago but doesn't apear to be eggboung or anything like that.