dpetzen
Chirping
My Red Shaver Boudicea (Boudie for short) has become a recluse and bordering on lethargic over the last three weeks.
I thought she was seriously sick at first, so she had to join my other chook, Gentle Giant, when I took Gentle for a vet follow-up.
The vet gave her a clean bill of health after a thorough examination, but did prescribe antibiotics as her crop was a tiny bit distended.
The vet suggested she may be broody, but I've since then read up on how that manifests itself and that is definitely not the case.
I could write an essay on how she used to be and how she is now, but I'll try to keep is short.
She never ran around madly, but was as energetic as any other chook. She got her name from being a relentless fighter when she arrived. She eventually settled down and ended up in position 3 of 9 in the flock. She would always come up to me and play with my fingers, pull my shirt and generally being very friendly.
She is now spending most of her time just standing or sitting looking at nothing. She does sleep a bit, but not like a properly sick chook would (I unfortunately have a lot of experience of that as of late, so I would know). She goes to bed first and she had gone to bed 2 hours before bedtime when I got home today.
She eats and drinks, but without the usual frenzy. She can barely be bothered to rip grass off when they are grazing and won't fight over food anymore.
She does have the odd moment now and then, like when she all by a sudden got excited and flew down the stairs and ran over to the others, so she doesn't seem to be in pain or being sick. She certainly has energy when I give her the antibiotics twice a day (she legs it as soon as she sees the blue towel I use to catch her with).
If she would have been a person, then I'd say she was depressed and/or sick off all the other chooks.
I've searched the forums and found quite a few posts about depressed chickens. In most cases it's sickness, but I wouldn't assume that is the case just yet, as she got an all-clear from the vet and is on antibiotics.
The other reason is loss. I just lost a chook, but they weren't that close. Gentle Giant is her best friend and Gentle was just saved by the vet, so I don't think this is the problem either.
She's not dropped down in the pecking order or been denied any of her favourite foods.
Some of them have mites and they need to be de-wormed (medication for both will arrive any day now), which has been suggested as possible contributing factors. All the other chooks are running around like mad and are as happy as any chook could ever be, though.
Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Dan (and Boudie)
I thought she was seriously sick at first, so she had to join my other chook, Gentle Giant, when I took Gentle for a vet follow-up.
The vet gave her a clean bill of health after a thorough examination, but did prescribe antibiotics as her crop was a tiny bit distended.
The vet suggested she may be broody, but I've since then read up on how that manifests itself and that is definitely not the case.
I could write an essay on how she used to be and how she is now, but I'll try to keep is short.
She never ran around madly, but was as energetic as any other chook. She got her name from being a relentless fighter when she arrived. She eventually settled down and ended up in position 3 of 9 in the flock. She would always come up to me and play with my fingers, pull my shirt and generally being very friendly.
She is now spending most of her time just standing or sitting looking at nothing. She does sleep a bit, but not like a properly sick chook would (I unfortunately have a lot of experience of that as of late, so I would know). She goes to bed first and she had gone to bed 2 hours before bedtime when I got home today.
She eats and drinks, but without the usual frenzy. She can barely be bothered to rip grass off when they are grazing and won't fight over food anymore.
She does have the odd moment now and then, like when she all by a sudden got excited and flew down the stairs and ran over to the others, so she doesn't seem to be in pain or being sick. She certainly has energy when I give her the antibiotics twice a day (she legs it as soon as she sees the blue towel I use to catch her with).
If she would have been a person, then I'd say she was depressed and/or sick off all the other chooks.
I've searched the forums and found quite a few posts about depressed chickens. In most cases it's sickness, but I wouldn't assume that is the case just yet, as she got an all-clear from the vet and is on antibiotics.
The other reason is loss. I just lost a chook, but they weren't that close. Gentle Giant is her best friend and Gentle was just saved by the vet, so I don't think this is the problem either.
She's not dropped down in the pecking order or been denied any of her favourite foods.
Some of them have mites and they need to be de-wormed (medication for both will arrive any day now), which has been suggested as possible contributing factors. All the other chooks are running around like mad and are as happy as any chook could ever be, though.
Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Dan (and Boudie)
