Do I have a stressed pullet? Are all of them girls?

[Jaggystar]

We have three araucana pullets. I think they are 10 weeks. I'm assuming they are all hens - one has a lot of red crest, one has a tiny yellow strip on top of her head and the other has nothing at all on her head. The one with only the yellow strip on her head was missing from the triplets last night when I went to lock them in. They free range a large garden in semi-tropical area of Australia. When I found the missing triplet (named Floyd), she was on her side flailing around under a bushy plant. I picked her up and she seemed to settle and her eyes looked bright when I placed her down her head rolled back and she went over. I placed her in a shoe box of straw and brought her inside. I made her drink sugary water by putting the cup of water over her beak and I placed an egg cup of food in the shoe box, eventually she pecked the food. I put her in the shoe box in a cage and got up during the night to make her drink. This morning she was able to stand, walk (a bit wobbly at first) and she has been free ranging in the house - she is friendly and follows me around. Her droppings are normal. I went to the Produce store to buy vitamins and the young guy there said she might have been stressed and did I have dogs. I do have two lovely dogs, they sometimes do 'round the hens up' (which is a bit frightening for them but this has been giong on since I got the chicks at 4 weeks) - when the dogs lay around the chickens walk around the dogs, sit together with them etc. I have trained the dogs to be their protectors as we are in a bushy area and there are foxes. I put Floyd out with others this afternoon and I noticed the hen? with the most red crest pecked her hard on the head. The other two seem to be ganging up her, I let them be and watched and then Floyd did the rolling over neck turning thing. My daughter reckons she is having seizures. So she is back up stairs in the lounge room and free ranging the house again, eating, drinking the vitamin enriched water and watching tv. What do you think I should do next? Is this a stress symptom? Perhaps I didn't buy 3 hens?!! Thank you for any ideas you may have.

 

[appps]

I think you need to post photos as you may have a rooster if it has a more advanced crest.

It is normal for a chicken removed from the group to be pecked on return. They need to reestablish their pecking order. If its not contagious its a good idea to keep them in view when seperated to minimize that. Keep them seperate long enough and its almost like bringing a new chook into the flock

I have no experience but I believe there are some nasty diseases with neck symptoms. I "think" newcastles and mareks both have neck involvement so I'd go googling those for starters but I hope that isn't what you have.

I'd be surprised if it was a stress thing.

 

[Jaggystar]

I'll keep googling .. I'm hoping she doesn't have anything too awful. I have read about crook neck and all sorts of things and have been trying to follow the recommended treatments. She only rolled over once today and seems perfect other than that. I'll see how she is tomorrow afternoon and may take her to a vet. I don't know if she is contagious ... She doesn't seem stressed, she is very friendly. Will try and put some pics up tomorrow, meanwhile will keep her quarantined from the other two. That's helpful about the pecking order! I am new to hens and felt we were coping well with them, after being a bit nervous at first. Thank you!

 

[silkiechick1994]

I've read about a vitamin deficiency ailment called star gazing. I guess when the chicken lacks a certain vitamin it causes them to throw their head back and flop around a lot. I don't know if this fits the symptoms your chickie has but it might be worth checking into. Sorry about your little one and best of luck to you.

 

[Jaggystar]

Yes I read about star gazing too, the symptoms do fit so rushed out this morning and bought her water soluble vitamins - she has been drinking this all day. I hope this is what the problem is. The guy at the store reckoned it was stress symptoms. I couldn't find info about stress manifesting in this way. So perhaps she is not eating enough of her pullet mix (which is meant to have all the right vitamins in it) and nibbling too much around the back yard on bugs and grass. I thought this might not really be good when there gut is still very young. I don't know. She is only getting the good stuff now and I can check everything she is doing. I have also read that they come good and then die, so I'm hoping she will be okay. She is more of a pet now she is in the house. I found her roosting on the back of the lounge behind the kids. I put her straight to bed before she pooped too much. I'm glad I have floor boards! Thanks, I hope the diagnosis is vitamin deficiency and I've got to her early, thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[appps]

I've never had any luck with anything store workers tell me, especially in pet stores, but also at feed stores. I think you get more from google

Hope its just the vitamins. Good luck!