Hen acting eratic and clumbsy

[dc73nova]

I noticed today that one of my hens is walking low to the ground (not upright like she would walk) and weebling around like she's drunk. She was also very skitish almost like she was on speed or something. She was with the flock in the yard foraging. She doesn't look sick, just acting funny. Anyone have any input? Haven't had any sick chickens and don't want to start.

 

[jjthink]

Not molting by chance, is she?

(how old is she? what is her diet? eating well? poop okay?)
JJ

 

[dc73nova]

She was born last July. I don't know how well she is eating, and can't really say what her poop looks like either. I just noticed this this evening when I was out collecting eggs. I don't think she's molting. Her feathering actually looks very nice. The only thing I have noticed is that almost all the hens back feathers are torn up by the dominant roo. In the last few weeks he has really asserted his dominance. I have two roos with 5 hens in that coop and they all but disowned the other roo.

 

[jjthink]

You'll need to isolate her so you can observe her eating/drinking/pooping situation. Can you set her up in a dog cage with all her creature comforts close at hand and put said cage out in the same building as her buddies so she can still talk to and see and hear everyone?
JJ

 

[jjthink]

Oh, and describe diet please.

JJ

 

[dc73nova]

I have a couple rabbit hutch style pens that I have near the coup I could do that with. They are all on laying mash and free range during the day.

 

[jjthink]

Do you know when she last laid an egg?

And whereabouts are you located? (i.e, what part of the planet generally - to get a sense of whether it's high or low time for egg laying....)
JJ

 

[cgoodloe]

My 3 week old baby is doing something similar. I picked her up today and she couldn't even fight me. Normally she's rearing to hop down and had little strong legs. Today she's wobbling around and her legs barely moved when I picked up her. I was able to move the legs manually but she barely did. She was the runt of the litter and the meanest one and now she's acting like she's dying. They eat Purina Start & Grow, have plenty of water. I change it everyday because they get all sorts of junk in it. I clean out the bottom of the brooder every couple days or so. Could she have eaten too much of the pine shavings in there? What do I do? I tried to hand feed her like 2 days ago and she wouldn't touch it. 2 days ago she seemed find and was eating out of my hand and drinking fine. She does get up on her feet but mostly she sits on them and hobbles around. She's got a ton of feathers coming in and she was flying up onto a smaller box I put in the brooder for them to run to for cover if they get overstimulated by visitors. Please help!

Carla
Clovis, CA

 

[dc73nova]

I don't know for sure if she is laying or not. Like I said there are 5 hens (blrw) in this coup. I have been getting 3-4 eggs a day since before Christmas. I don't know which ones for sure are laying. I could probably look at them and find out. I am in Maryland.

 

[jjthink]

Important to know because if she's eggbound you have an emergency.
JJ