HELP! Broody hen collapsed!

[eksterhuis]

My hen who has 5 chicks seems to have collapsed. I put her and the chicks out for their first night in my outdoor brooder area and just went to check on them at 10pm tonight (its summer here in New Zealand). She was lying on her side looking very dopey and when I picked her up she was quite floppy and her eyes are sort of rolling. She has 5 chicks so I have put them inside under a heat lamp (the poor things are squarking away). I have moved 'mum' into a rabbit hutch by herself but she is still floppying on her side and not curling up to sleep (she looks like she is dying). I don't know what is wrong with her or what has struck her so quickly as she was happily out with the chicks just 3 hours ago being a mum. It's not like she is just sleepy because I woke her up, when I took her chicks and they were cheeping she did nothing!

I have had 2 other weird chickens this week and lost them both for what appeared different reason but now I am really worried I have something going around. This chicken has been isolated from other chickens for the past month due to being broody and today was her first contact with other chickens in my outside broody area.

Help! I am panicing!

 

[oberhaslikid]

Iam sorry I know how you feel.I had two hens that were brooding eggs and were found dead on the nest last year . Is she eating,drinking?
I wondered if mine even got off the nest to do so.I really didnt know their age could have been old age.

 

[eksterhuis]

Oberhaslikid, I'm sorry to hear that, and sorry to inform that she was dead this morning! Don't know what went on. She was molting as well as being a mum and maybe it was just too much for her! Lucky I had bought a heatlamp etc as I have an incubator hatch due next week so the chicks are testing out all the new gear!

Sad but sometimes it happens I guess!