First sick chicken

[dmartin101]

My sweet Gracie is not feeling well. She got on the nest at 3:30 this morning and hasn’t moved. I picked her up and she had laid a soft shell egg. She’s not eating or drinking. Her comb is pale compared to what it usually looks like. When I pick her up and set her down, she’s a little unsteady on her feet then lays back down.

Her eyes are open and alert but she doesn’t move or resist at all when I pick her up.

She’s 8 months old and has been laying about 3 eggs a week for 3 weeks. Her vent is clean, just a little poop on her booty feathers but not bad or unusual. l don’t feel an egg inside. I felt her crop and didn’t feel anything but I’m not sure I know what would be normal there.

On Monday I fed all my girls some kale so I’m wondering if she needs some vitamins?

Other info: She’s a silver laced Wyandotte. I feed layer pellets and they always have access to grit and oyster shell. I usually give Grubblies as treats but the last 10 days have also given some scratch since it was so cold. My other 7 girls seem fine. We are in Arkansas and the weather has been very mild (50-60s) the past few days. We have a henhouse with pine shavings and a large run. They free range only with supervision a few hours a week because of the hawks. She hasn’t been out of the coop/run for about a week.

I’m new to chickens and this is the first time I’ve had one not feeling well. Gracie is one of my most active and is at the top of the pecking order so it’s very disconcerting to see her like this. Would be so grateful for any advice.

 

[Kiki]

She doesn't look bad at all in this picture.
You mentioned that she has already laid a soft shell egg, so I highly recommend that you stop feeding everything except the layer type feed.
Scratch does not keep them warm and feeding worms daily takes away from them getting a balanced diet and they are also very high in fat which could cause a problem.

 

[dmartin101]

She doesn't look bad at all in this picture.
You mentioned that she has already laid a soft shell egg, so I highly recommend that you stop feeding everything except the layer type feed.
Scratch does not keep them warm and feeding worms daily takes away from them getting a balanced diet and they are also very high in fat which could cause a problem.

She doesn’t look bad but there’s definitely something not right. She’s not moving and her comb is usually a bright rosy red. I actually thought she was one of my other girls because her comb looks so pale.

Sorry I wasn’t more clear - I don’t feed the treats daily. Maybe 3 days a week. Up until the cold blast, the only treats they got was worms (and fruits and veggies). I started giving corn scratch because people said it would help keep them warm.

 

[Bkaye]

If she’s on the nest and not moving she may be trying to go broody. I have had a couple younger girls go broody a couple weeks after initially laying.

 

[Kiki]

She doesn’t look bad but there’s definitely something not right. She’s not moving and her comb is usually a bright rosy red. I actually thought she was one of my other girls because her comb looks so pale.

Sorry I wasn’t more clear - I don’t feed the treats daily. Maybe 3 days a week. Up until the cold blast, the only treats they got was worms (and fruits and veggies). I started giving corn scratch because people said it would help keep them warm.

A balanced diet will keep them warm. Adding extra 'kunk' food will not. Adding treats, like scratch, takes away from getting a balanced diet which can cause egg laying issues.

Fruits, veggies, worms, scratch...are all treats and take away from 'balanced' diet.

 

[Kanekoded]

Her eyes look good and she doesn't look sickly. Perhaps, she's going through her very first bout with broodiness?

 

[dmartin101]

If she’s on the nest and not moving she may be trying to go broody. I have had a couple younger girls go broody a couple weeks after initially laying.

I was wondering about that but when I picked her up she didn’t react at all. Don’t they usually squawk or peck when they’re broody?

 

[dmartin101]

Her eyes look good and she doesn't look sickly. Perhaps, she's going through her very first bout with broodiness?

Would that cause her comb to be pale? I know it doesn’t look bad in the picture but it’s not nearly as red as it usually is.

 

[Bkaye]

I was wondering about that but when I picked her up she didn’t react at all. Don’t they usually squawk or peck when they’re broody?

Not all. I have a Silkie that doesn’t. When I pick her up and take her out of the nest she just pancakes back out where ever I put her. Takes her a few mins before she jumps up to go eat and drinks then heads back to the nest.

 

[dmartin101]

Not all. I have a Silkie that doesn’t. When I pick her up and take her out of the nest she just pancakes back out where ever I put her. Takes her a few mins before she jumps up to go eat and drinks then heads back to the nest.

I hope that’s what it is and she’s not sick. She just got off one nest and moved to anther but isn’t eating or drinking. Should I do anything?