Chicken with fever and recent lethargy

[Mackie n chicks]

We have a gold laced orpington bantam who was saved from a breeders stock pot (Bracken) - she lovely and has been giving us eggs every alternate day (since her moult early this year). She still is, although her egg shell has always been a bit slippery? She's never had a problem laying and is now laying every day-which is more than usual. Only the last couple of days she has felt hot compared to the other chickens and is now staying in the next box and only comes out when pushed out. She also pecks when we are ushering her out when she doesn't normally do this. I would have thought it was broodyness but for the apparent fever.

Anyone had this before or am I worrying over nothing - i've lost three chickens this year and have another two still fighting the after effects Coccidiosis so I'm a bit paranoid. They are my pets and family and still miss the others - I am fighting not to lose anymore! i'm sure you all understand.

 

[Toddrick]

Sure sounds like broodiness to me. Maybe she's just hotter because she's in the box all the time. I think the pecking is quite common brooding behavior, and a good sign, since sick birds usually don't have much fight in them.

I know how you feel about the paranoia. I've lost two this year, so I'm really trying to learn about chicken healthcare a lot now. After I lost my second one I dewormed with Valbazen and put antibiotics and electrolytes in their water purely as a precaution (hopefully an overreaction). I also changed to a probiotic food, and have been feeding them boiled eggs and meat treats to help them through the molt. My chickens never ate this good before!

 

[Mackie n chicks]

Thanks - i'll keep a look out for any other symptoms. Another question - for you - what are electrolytes? how do I buy them and do you put them in their food? I have tried scrambled eggs but none of them are that keen - I think they are spoilt with their sweetcorn and mealworms as treats. I live in the highlands of Scotland so I can only get hold of two types of chicken food - cheap food (which I would never buy as the chickens wouldn't touch this anyway) or reasonably good and suitable for bantams (which they all seem to enjoy)-I wouldn't mind finding out where I could find probiotic food from though! you are doing very well getting hold of all this stuff. Thanks again n I hope we're right with the broodiness - as she can give a good peck!