Help! Is my Brahma depressed?!

[KateAndChooks]

Hi everyone! I have a flock of 8 hens, 2 wyandottes, 2 pekins, 2 orpingtons, 1 hybrid & 1 Brahma. I did have 2 brahmas but unfortunately 1 died a few months ago. Since then my remaining Brahma, Polly, has become more & more withdrawn. She has always been bottom of the pecking order but now she is completely isolated. She doesn’t engage with the rest of the flock, she doesn’t preen herself or dust bath. Most of the time she stands on her own, sleeping with her neck pulled in to her chest. Could she be ill? Is she lonely? It breaks my heart to see her like this she’s a gentle giant & a real sweetheart.

Thank you for reading

Kate x

 

[aart]

Most of the time she stands on her own, sleeping with her neck pulled in to her chest. Could she be ill?

Could very well be, sure sounds like it.
How did the other brahma die?

 

[KateAndChooks]

Could very well be, sure sounds like it.
How did the other brahma die?

I’m not 100% sure what happened. She started having breathing issues, I brought her inside to care for her but by the next morning she had passed away.
I don’t know much about their background as i rehomed them from a rescue place. I’m guessing they were from the same hatch. She’s only a young girl but still not come in to lay yet.

 

[aart]

I’m not 100% sure what happened. She started having breathing issues, I brought her inside to care for her but by the next morning she had passed away.
I don’t know much about their background as i rehomed them from a rescue place. I’m guessing they were from the same hatch. She’s only a young girl but still not come in to lay yet.

Sounds like she may have had a respiratory disease,
and it's likely the remaining birds does too,
as well as your existing birds.
How old were/are they in weeks or months?
How long ago did you get them?

 

[KateAndChooks]

Sounds like she may have had a respiratory disease,
and it's likely the remaining birds does too,
as well as your existing birds.
How old were/are they in weeks or months?
How long ago did you get them?

Oh gosh, that doesn’t sound good at all! It’s only the other Brahma who is acting off, do you think the others could still catch it?
I’ve no idea to be honest, I’ve attached a few photos of when I collected them back in august last year. I was told when I collected them they should start laying anytime but it never happened. I just assumed once the weather warmed up again Polly would start laying but of course now she’s gone downhill.

 

[aart]

I collected them back in august last year.

That long ago hard to say if the new birds brought disease(IF it's disease) or not.
Without obvious symptoms, only lab testing can detect what disease might be present.

It’s only the other Brahma who is acting off, do you think the others could still catch it?

Again hard to say, some respiratory disease can be carried without any symptoms.


This is what I do when I have a bird that is acting 'off'.
I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor:
-their intake of food and water,
-crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed),
-and their poops.
Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.
Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.


Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[KateAndChooks]

That’s really good advice, thank you for that.
I do have a crate I can use so I’ll pop her in. I have seen her pooping in the yard & unfortunately it’s runny like water so not a good sign either