Hen Not Acting Normal

[ErniesFlock]

Hello I have no idea how to search this which is what I usually do and usually have my problem remedied or question answered. My one hen is about a year old last week her feathers on her hackle started to grow sort of in different directions where once it was flat and even now its like she has a cowlick.. like she has bed head. The last week she has been hanging around the porch alone and then the last couple days she been not leaving the coop. She does not appear sick at all despite the odd behavior and weird hairdo. She still eats and cleans the others birds runs for treats. Am I just being paranoid or is something I never heard of wrong with her?

Thank you.

 

[hennible]

Wow that does sound like a hard one to research.... A vitamin deficiency maybe. Could try that if you haven't. Try searching "signs of deficiencies seen in feathers"
Good luck

 

[hennible]

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

 

[hennible]

Maybe this one
FOLIC ACID (FOLACIN) DEFICIENCY
A folacin deficiency results in a macrocytic (megaloblastic) anemia and leukopenia. Tissues with a rapid turnover, such as epithelial linings, GI tract, epidermis, and bone marrow, as well as cell growth and tissue regeneration, are principally affected.

Poultry seem more susceptible to folacin deficiency than other farm animals. Deficiency results in poor feathering, slow growth, an anemic appearance, and perosis. As anemia develops, the comb becomes waxy white and pale mucous membranes in the mouth are noted. Elevated erythrocyte phosphoribosylpyrophosphate concentration can be used as a diagnostic tool in folate-deficient chicks. There may also be damage to liver parenchyma and depleted glycogen reserves. While turkey poults show some of the same signs as chickens, mortality is usually higher and the birds develop a spastic type of cervical paralysis that results in the neck becoming stiff and extended.

The abnormal feather condition in chickens leads to weak and brittle shafts. Depigmentation develops in colored feathers due to a deficiency of the vitamin. While a folacin deficiency can result in reduced egg production, the main sign noted with breeders is a marked decrease in hatchability associated with an increase in embryonic mortality, usually during the last few days of incubation. Embryos have deformed beaks and bending of the tibiotarsus. While birds may exhibit perosis, the lesions seen differ histologically from those that develop due to choline or manganese deficiency. Abnormal structure of the hyaline cartilage and retardation of ossification are noted with folacin deficiency. Increasing the protein content of the diet has been shown to increase the severity of perosis in chicks receiving diets low in folic acid, as there is an increased folacin demand for uric acid synthesis.

Signs of folic acid deficiency in poultry can be prevented by ensuring diets contain supplements of up to 1 mg/kg.

From the link.

 

[hennible]

Or maybe copper and iron...

 

[ErniesFlock]

Ill take a pic when she wakes up tomor and show you... she isnt missing any feathers ther just longer and bed head ya know messy hair look but there is actually more feathers. Hmm I noticed too that her beak bottom has grown a little like a fingernail cause she came from a battery farm you know they cut their top beaks now she has this little hook on her lower beak. For now I can bump her vits up? I am very careful across the board for balanced diet wouldnt the others at least one exibit same thing? Thanks for your quick replies you ladies more know than my 26 year old vet. I was like how is that even possible 26?? how many animals are there to learn about? ;-)

 

[hennible]

Start with vitamins and I'll keep searching for you." Chicken with bed head " may not yield great search results though lol
I'm not a big fan of vets or Drs that are younger than me.... I guess I better get over it someday they'll all be younger!

 

[ErniesFlock]

I wish I knew what is happening with her. She is acting really strange. Just doing odd things. She doesnt go far away from the coop. She still eating and drinking as normal. Her poop looks fine lots of it (shocker) no worms solid. She hasnt layed in a few days and I checked for a stuck egg nothing. She stares at me and shakes her head alot you know like they do when you say their name or they know your talking to them. The over grown hackle feathers may have nothing to do with it but I did find the coinsidence strange. I hope she is ok is all :-/ worrying now

 

[hennible]

Could she be going broody? Hiding eggs on you and such. They act weird when they get all pumped full of prolactin... Though it doesn't explain her bed head.

 

[ErniesFlock]

hmmm my wife suggested it also! She laid her last egg on my workbench?? and at first I thought I accidently left it there but I caught her today in the exact spot where the egg was sitting and she had a stare down with me. Come to think of it last week she was in the nest box and I went to go grab some of the eggs under her and she made a sound I never heard before. Almost like a bark? I
was too scared to put my hand in there so I waited lol That never happens. I have never had a broody hen so I dont know what to expect. I also have this barred hen that we dont know what she is she always paces around in and out of the nest boxes they wait all morining to hit the yard and she will barrel out just to turn around 30 sec later to come back in and look at boxes and MAYBE lay an egg. Here is a pic of the barred or cuckoo hen we call NWA for No Wattles At all. She also has 5 toes but I dont see any silkie in there lol

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