Chicken went broody for one day and now is sick on and off?

[LeghornMummy]

Hello, I have a leghorn hen who is about one years old. And three days ago, she went broody for the first time. And yesterday, I looked out the window and thought she was dead she looked so ill! She was laying there with her head on ground. She had been eating earlier and her poop look completely normal. I put a plate of water nearby her in case she needed it, and looked at the after for about five minutes. It looked as though she wanted to drink but didn't have the energy to walk a few steps.

About ten minutes later, I looked out the window, and there she was looked completely back to normal!! Wandering around, pecking the ground with the the chickens. And now, this morning, I looked out the window and thought she was dead again! But now, she looks perfectly fine again!

Does anyone know what's the matter with her? Or what I should do to help her?

 

[Isaac 0]

Hello, I have a leghorn hen who is about one years old. And three days ago, she went broody for the first time. And yesterday, I looked out the window and thought she was dead she looked so ill! She was laying there with her head on ground. She had been eating earlier and her poop look completely normal. I put a plate of water nearby her in case she needed it, and looked at the after for about five minutes. It looked as though she wanted to drink but didn't have the energy to walk a few steps.

About ten minutes later, I looked out the window, and there she was looked completely back to normal!! Wandering around, pecking the ground with the the chickens. And now, this morning, I looked out the window and thought she was dead again! But now, she looks perfectly fine again!

Does anyone know what's the matter with her? Or what I should do to help her?

Check for Lice/Mites.Broody hens are prone to mites/lice.Check under wings and vent.Look closely they are hard to see.

 

[LeghornMummy]

You know, I think it might be mites! She is an very skittish chicken who just doesn't want to be friends so it's gonna be hard to check. But when she was a pullet, her coop had a big problem with mites. Perhaps they've come back. Thank you so much for you help!

 

[Teila]

Howdy LeghornMummy Welcome to BYC!

Just wondering, what makes you think your Leghorn was broody? Leghorns do not usually go broody but there is always the exception to the rule.

Was she sitting on the nest for the whole three days? Do you know if she took a break at all to eat and drink?

Without being able to see what she is doing, this one is kinda difficult.

Could she just be sunbaking?

Can you get any pictures of her when she is laying down?

Is there anything else out of the ordinary she is doing that might help us figure this out?

Is she still laying eggs?

When you say “her crop had a big problem with mites” do you mean she had them externally on her crop? Mites are an external parasite.

 

[Isaac 0]

Maybe.They are common in the winter because Dust baths aren't available.Two people make it easier to operate a skittish hen.If she starts wiggling just grab onto her legs.

 

[LeghornMummy]

Hello Teila! And thank you

Yes it is quite uncommon, which I why I was so surprised when another leghorn of mine became broody a few months ago.
I'm not 100% sure that my sick chicken did infact go broody, but I can't think what else it could have been. She had been missing for the entire day and we were worried sick about her, we went to look for her and found her sitting at the base of an old rotten tree, sitting on about seven eggs. She had that broody 'look' about her if you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure that she hadn't come out to eat or drink that day, but she might have and we could have just missed it. Although I'm pretty sure she didn't. She definitely wasn't sunbaking when she was laying down. I didn't get any pictures, but I'll see if I can the next time she's doing it. Other than everything I've already mentioned, she's not doing anything out of the ordinary and I think she's still laying eggs.
It wasn't her crop with the mites, it was her coop. Coop as in her hen house, like the place where she slept.

 

[LeghornMummy]

Good advice MasterOfClucker! Thank you.

 

[Teila]

Hey LeghornMummy

Sorry, my bad! I read crop not coop .. need new glasses!

Lol

If she is still laying eggs, she may not be broody or just very early stages of broody. Once they settle down to brood, they stop laying.

As you are doing, definitely rule out mites or other external parasites.

Do you worm your flock?

I am wondering if she is attempting to hide her symptoms which is why sometimes she is OK and others not?