Docile or poorly chicken

[chickenunited28]

Hi everyone I am relatively new to keeping chickens so everything my girls do is a surprise and confusing!

Can anyone help with my most recent problem? One of my girls has become very docile over the past two days she sits a lot with her chest to the floor and her bottom slightly raised. She seems warmer than normal and has on occasion gone to the nest box to do the same. She does not want to get up in the mornings so I put her outside, but she takes herself to bed as it goes dark.

She has only been laying for a month, so we have had around 4 eggs a week per week. She sometimes lays in the nest box or outside she is not fussy!

Anyway she has gone very quiet, docile and looks depressed since laying the last egg 2 days ago. Her eyes are bright, comb pink no discharge anywhere. She eats but only when I hand feed her. She is usually first into the treats but recently will allow my other 2 to take food out of her mouth. When walking she is slow her tail in not perky but not droopy, just half and half!

Not sure what is wrong or if she is broody but as she is not always in the nest box and is more than happy for me to pick her up without objection it doesn't sound like it is? Has anyone got any ideas please?

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi there

and welcome to BYC!

A broody hen would not be docile per say. If she were broody, she would be persistantly sitting in the nest box, growling at you when you tried to move her, cluck cluck clucking all over the place when she was out of the box.

I would give this bird an over all exam. Start with the head and on down to the vent. Look at her eyes to make sure they are not watery nor the face swollen. No runny nose, or wheezing coming from the lungs. Check for bugs or red irritated skin behind the neck and around the vent...bugs enjoy laying their eggs around the vent and in places the bird can't reach. Feel her abdomen. It should be fairly firm and not squishy or water balloon like. I would do an internal exam on her in case she has a stuck egg. Put on a latex glove with some KY jelly on the index finger and insert your finger into her vent. It there is a stuck egg, you will feel it there. If it seems to be sideways, you can push it right. However if it feels like it is coming out the right way but not moving, give her a couple Tums tablets. These are loaded with calcium that will get the contractions going in her oviduct and move that egg. You can also soak her lower half in warm water for 10 mins. Between the Tums and the warm bath, this usually gets those stuck eggs moving.

She could be suffering from coccidiosis. If her poop is really runny, with possible blood in the poop, you might want to get her on some Corid. You can get his at the feed store. Offer this up in her water for 5 days. Cocci will have them off their feed and listless for long periods of time.

How are her poops looking...color and consistancy?

If she turns up with no egg binding and no other symptoms of respiratory infections, she could have some other infection internally. Possibly worms, although she is a bit young for a huge worm infection.

Look her over and see if you can see any other symptoms that might link up to one of these things I have listed here.

Keep us posted and I hope you can get her back to health soon!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC - I agree with TwoCrows that something is going on with your hen. Hopefully it will resolve.

 

[drumstick diva]

2 crows gave you details on the most likely causes of her distress, I hope you exam will narrow it down - so you can begin treatment. I would think she is egg bound without seeing her. If she starts passing bits of shell, or dripping egg white etc., she had a shell break inside and that is cause for immediate treatment.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Hope your hen is OK.

 

[chickenunited28]

Hi still the same, think I might be taking her to the vets, her poops are greenish and loose! I'm more worried now that my other girls might catch it. Thanks for the advice. Just hope I don't lose them all

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi still the same, think I might be taking her to the vets, her poops are greenish and loose! I'm more worried now that my other girls might catch it. Thanks for the advice. Just hope I don't lose them all

I am so sorry.

Have you felt her crop in the morning? It should be empty. If it is full, then she could have a sour or impacted crop. If these are simple cases of either of these and not an issue from some secondary problem, we can help get her fixed up! Crops feel funky all day. So it is best to check them in the morning. But if hers is rock hard at any time, or she vomits on you when you hold her crop area, then she may have sour or impacted crop.

Keep us posted.

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC. TwoCrows has offered excellent advice. Take a fresh fecal sample to the vet and have them look at it under a microscope. They'll let you know if there's worm oocysts and/or if your hen is overloaded with cocci oocysts. Then let us know and we'll advise you how to treat for either, or the vet can give you meds. Of course there could be something entirely different going on with your hen. Good luck.

 

[mnlchick]

Good day everyone. I new here at BYC. But i have been visiting this site for quite sometime.
Btw i'm from manila, philippine. Have 3 hens-all are bisaya chickens/mongrels. One already lays eggs. Our helpers are the first to get to eat the eggs for breakfast. Good news- it is not in our grocery list anymore.
Always talk about chickens and eggs with my bestfriend- but she is not interest with the topic.

 

[TwoCrows]

Good day everyone. I new here at BYC. But i have been visiting this site for quite sometime.
Btw i'm from manila, philippine. Have 3 hens-all are bisaya chickens/mongrels. One already lays eggs. Our helpers are the first to get to eat the eggs for breakfast. Good news- it is not in our grocery list anymore.
Always talk about chickens and eggs with my bestfriend- but she is not interest with the topic.

Hi there,

and welcome to BYC!

I know the feeling...after a while everyone tires of hearing about chickens around here. So I come to BYC and talk chicken with the members here!!!

Great to have you aboard and enjoy all your poultry adventures!