Hen Quiet and Fluffy

[tiffanyh]

Okay. I looked through all the posts in this forum and found nothing like what I am seeing in one of my hens.

One of my older reds is standing still all puffed up with her eyes slightly closed. If I say somthing to her or go in, she seems normal. But if I leave she will immediately do it again. I have had her 3 years and never seen her do this before. Im feeling sensitive since about 2 months ago I found out a lady I got hatching eggs from had mycoplasma in her flock. I have the meds for it on hand and have seen no signs of any URI problems so I have not yet treated--only two eggs I got from her hatched. I did recently treat for mites--one chicken in a neighbor coop had them so I treated everone with ivomec. She is also getting picked on again. Not badly, but her feathers on her butt/lower back are missing-although she is her worst enemy since I have caught her picking her own feathers over the years. Everyone else looks fine. Oh, and the red skin around her ears has a purple tinge to it, but she is slightly irradescent, so they may have always looked like that and I never noticed. her comb is nice and red, no spots.

Oh, and today/last night is the first cold we have had since spring. It dropped down and has stayed at 60F so I am wondering if she is just adjusting to the cold. Ecspecially with a slightly bare bottom.

I just wanted to see if you all have ideas before she may get worse. I want to head anything off.

My chickens have been very high maitainence lately!

 

[Chatychick]

It sounds like maybe she has a fever and isnt adjusting to the cold right now. I am not sure how to treat it but I hope someone else will help you soon too. My girls that dont have many feathers are doing fine in the cooler weather we are having right now so not sure what it is...Good luck

 

[tiffanyh]

Can mites cause somthing like this??? I have also noticed a drop off in egg productions although I am not sure if it is from this particular chicken. I attributed that to the fact that it is getting dark earlier.

 

[robin416]

It does sound like some supplemental heat will help her feel better. Set her up somewhere, even if its in the house with a light like we use for brooders. If she needs the warmth she will stay under it.

Then after she's settled in step back and just watch. See what there is about her that doesn't look right to you. Drainage, droppings that are wrong. Coloring of her face, appetite, drinking. What is her crop like?

Also, dissolve a single adult 325 mg aspirin in a gallon of water, that should help if she's in pain.

 

[tiffanyh]

Could she be egg bound?? Ill feel first thing in the morning...but she doesnt seem uncomfortable...just fluffed up and slightly "slower" than usual. I dont see mites on her but she got treated this week since another hen did. Also, she seems to have poop on her back feather...although they have been getting lots of veggies lately. Any other ideas?

 

[tiffanyh]

I put a heat lamp on her today, she is parked pretty close to it so I guess she is cold. She ran out when I opened the coop up, at a few pecks and headed up to the roost near the heat lamp.

Her dropping are slightly soft, dark brown, so I guess I dont need to worry about that but I did think back to the other day about 1 week ago that there was yolk only in the nesting box and the other eggs were wet. I didnt think much of it since I assume one had broke and the hens ate it. But she also has white dried crust on her rear feathers. Could an egg have broken in her and if so, wouldnt "something " have happen by now? I felt to see if she was eggs bound but her lower belly is soft, no sign of an egg. Her crop is soft and smallish.

Im hoping she is just chilly with the low 50's we are hitting and her bare bottom!

Any other idea or just wait and see??????????

 

[robin416]

The thing is, there is some reason she feels chilled. Unless you can seperate her and watch to see how she acts and what she does there isn't much more anyone can tell you.