- May 14, 2012
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I'm very new to chickens and this forum has been so helpful to me so far in learning about them before getting the chicks and then answering questions as they arise since purchasing them. However, now I'm stumped and extremely worried. I had 6 golden comet hens that are just over 2 months old. They've been living in their chicken tractor for the last couple of weeks with access to the outdoors during the day. They still get chick feed that is scattered on the ground and are moved about every day or two, depending on how much they scratch up the grass underneath.
Yesterday I let them out in the morning and everyone seemed happy and healthy. In the evening, 4 of the 6 had gone back into the coop (they just started doing this on their own last week) while two of them had snuggled in under their ramp. I didn't think much of it because it had begun to rain a little and it was still somewhat light out. They seemed a little groggy, but nothing that really made me think something was wrong. Apparently there was. I went to let them out this morning and only two came out. I opened up the coop and two were laying on their sides (still alive, but barely), one was laying in the nest box and another wasn't looking too good.
I took out the two that were laying on their sides and put them each in a cat carrier. One has since died. The 3 that aren't looking too good I have since tried to give them electrolytes, some feed, and will be giving them all some scrambled eggs shortly if they'll eat anything. I'm not sure what's going on. Some of them seem a little thin, so I'm wondering if they're not getting enough feed, but the one that has since died seemed okay weight wise. Does anyone have any ideas what might be going on, or what else I can try?
Oh, and poops looks normal, no signs of injury or trauma. They're in a chicken tractor. The coop is about 6'x4' not including nest boxes, the run is about 6' x 10' and they're moved to fresh grass every day or two. I use TSC pine shavings.
To summarize:
Chicken
1: dead
2: doesn't look like she's going to make it. Tried giving feed and electrolytes, but didn't eat/drink. Laying on side. Seems like she'll wake up for a moment, then pass out.
3: Sitting in coop door sleeping with droopy wings. Don't think she ate, barely drank electrolytes.
4: Nested in nest box. Ate some food and drank some electrolytes, but very lethargic
5. Eating, drinking walking around outside of coop, but still doesn't seem quite right, but still mostly normal right now.
6: A little more peppy than 5, but laying down sometimes too.
For 5 and 6, I might just be reading too much into their behavior.
Thank you for any advice you can offer. I'm feeling very distraught and upset at myself over the one dead hen, and likely soon to be dead second hen.
Yesterday I let them out in the morning and everyone seemed happy and healthy. In the evening, 4 of the 6 had gone back into the coop (they just started doing this on their own last week) while two of them had snuggled in under their ramp. I didn't think much of it because it had begun to rain a little and it was still somewhat light out. They seemed a little groggy, but nothing that really made me think something was wrong. Apparently there was. I went to let them out this morning and only two came out. I opened up the coop and two were laying on their sides (still alive, but barely), one was laying in the nest box and another wasn't looking too good.
I took out the two that were laying on their sides and put them each in a cat carrier. One has since died. The 3 that aren't looking too good I have since tried to give them electrolytes, some feed, and will be giving them all some scrambled eggs shortly if they'll eat anything. I'm not sure what's going on. Some of them seem a little thin, so I'm wondering if they're not getting enough feed, but the one that has since died seemed okay weight wise. Does anyone have any ideas what might be going on, or what else I can try?
Oh, and poops looks normal, no signs of injury or trauma. They're in a chicken tractor. The coop is about 6'x4' not including nest boxes, the run is about 6' x 10' and they're moved to fresh grass every day or two. I use TSC pine shavings.
To summarize:
Chicken
1: dead
2: doesn't look like she's going to make it. Tried giving feed and electrolytes, but didn't eat/drink. Laying on side. Seems like she'll wake up for a moment, then pass out.
3: Sitting in coop door sleeping with droopy wings. Don't think she ate, barely drank electrolytes.
4: Nested in nest box. Ate some food and drank some electrolytes, but very lethargic
5. Eating, drinking walking around outside of coop, but still doesn't seem quite right, but still mostly normal right now.
6: A little more peppy than 5, but laying down sometimes too.
For 5 and 6, I might just be reading too much into their behavior.
Thank you for any advice you can offer. I'm feeling very distraught and upset at myself over the one dead hen, and likely soon to be dead second hen.
