Hen acting drunk

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Cryptkeeper

Cryptkeeper

Chirping
8 Years
Oct 26, 2011
200
5
93
San Diego, CA
Sorry if this might be a re post of a similar ? but i figured I would ask first and research after to try to get as quick an answer as possible.

Last night when my boys locked up the coop doors and went to collect eggs, our Ameraucana was sitting on a clutch of eggs. They picked her up and put her on the roost and she jumped down and went right back to the nest. We left the eggs in case she really was going broody. This morning when I let them all out, she was not on the nest and when she came out the pop door she was stumbling putting her wings out to catch her balance and moving very slow. She was not interested in water or scratch. On any other day as soon as i open the pop door, its a mad dash to the water nipples and bucket, and a frantic search for the scratch that I give them every morning. i watched her for about 5 mins and she didn't move. I picked her up and noticed her vent and surrounding feathers were covered in poo, like pasty but on a chick, but very stinky and not pasty. It was fairly fresh as it was still wet poo and a matted mess. I washed it all off and put her back down on the ground and watched her for a few more mins. Still she didn't move. I have her a quick spray with the hose which normally they jump and act like, well, chickens, but she took one step and that's it.

Now I have not yet had an egg bound hen so i do not know how one acts, could this be the case here or would it probably be something more serious?

Oh and all day yesterday she was acting fine, running around with the other birds dust bathing and acting normal.
 
Last edited:
I would check to see if she has an egg stuck. My hen does this wing thing for balance, she went through egg binding and later got a yeast infection (vent Gleet).

When the egg is stuck it blocks the way for her to poop and so it kinda oozes through/around the egg. (Well that's what happened with me) and when mine had a yeast infection she would have very watery green poop that stuck to all her feather. She is my special needs hen because she will always have this problem I'm sure. But as long as I give her simple things like ACV in her water and yogurt that will help her.


Check your hen and see if you find anything unusual.
 
When my Polish hen is broody, I take her off the nest and she sits there with her wings out, then walks slowly. Broody hens lay big stinky poos when they're off the nest. Does she straighten out her walking after a while?
 
seminolewind said:
When my Polish hen is broody, I take her off the nest and she sits there with her wings out, then walks slowly. Broody hens lay big stinky poos when they're off the nest. Does she straighten out her walking after a while?
Click to expand...
she seems to get her balance after about 5 mins or so, but walks very slow. she has not gone back on the nest(do not know what time she got off last night or EARLY this morning I let them out @ 0530 and she was already off) as of 1240. but has walked around he yard a little at a time.
 
If it is a bound egg, to help solve it, soak her in luke warm water? Thats what I have read.... This is the first time I have gone through this so pardon any dumb or repetitive ?s
 
Rectal exam done, did not feel an egg or anything like. Mari(the chicken) gave me a strange look though........

Any other suggestions? I have brought her into the house and am giving her some water w/ ACV, and going to give her some scrambled eggs and fruit yogurt. I don't know what else to do.
 

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