Is my chicken sick?

[Nikyerin]

We recently got a new hen & rooster (Black Wyandotte Bantam - we were told the hen was 6months old and Roo was almost a year they were separated prior to us getting them and have been together ever sense). She laid an egg the first day we had her, and hasn't laid one in 4 days now (it was about a medium size egg - we were shocked it was so big out of such a small bird, it was well formed with a strong shell). Since then, she has had her tail feathers often tucked down towards the ground, between that and not having any egg and laying around a lot..... I am worried something could be wrong... Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[azygous]

The tail held flat and low is one of the first signs of illness or pain in a chicken. Your instincts and powers of observation are commendable.

Here's a trick I use that's very effective for hens with egg stress. Your girl may have an egg hung up in the chute, and it's causing her a great deal of discomfort. It's not unusual for this to occur with new layers.

If you know where she prefers to lay, rig up a heating pad under the nesting material in that spot. If she isn't choosing to spend any time in a nest, get a pet crate set up with some nesting material in it and install the heating pad under the material and then turn it on the lowest setting. Place the crate in a quiet spot in the coop and put her inside for a couple of hours. She may or may not lay an egg.

It should make her feel better, and she could very well lay her next egg within the following two days.

After two days following the heating pad treatment, if she continues to act as she is now with no improvement, I would then start her on antibiotics.

 

[Nikyerin]

I haven't been able to confirm she has an egg "stuck", so I am thinking maybe that isn't the case... but something doesn't feel right, and she has been like this now 5 days... We got her on Saturday... she laid an egg Saturday, and none sense (and it is Thursday). She wants to spend alot of time laying in her nest (and going out to check her the last two nights has found her in her nest, not on the roost), could she be broody? We had a "fake" egg in her nest, which she has laid on some, we have removed it, and blocked the nest to see if that could be what is going on. Her color in her comb and such seem good, she is eating and drinking ok from what we have seen. I also had noticed when we got her (and still) she is missing some feathers on her breasts (totally bare thru the center) and we haven't seen any lice or bugs.... she is so lovable and so small I have considered letting her stay in the house! An older gentleman gave her and her mate to my son at a Chicken swap - inspired by my young sons love for chickens, I wish I knew more of her history.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Her laying the first day in the new home, and not since then is not unusual.
That first egg started forming before you got her, now she's stressed in the new place,
and probably won't produce another egg until she's comfortable in her new home.

Do you have other birds?
Is she eating, drinking, pooping OK...fairly active?
Have you examined her vent and abdomen for any abnormalities?

I see you have another thread started but haven't answered the questions asked there:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1133279/is-my-new-hen-ok#post_17528409

 

[Nikyerin]

She is eating, drinking and pooping consistent to our other birds, we have 4 hens (they are in a seperate coop- we let them play together in the evenings, introducing them slowly) rooster with her ( she came with the roo). Her abdomen and vent are clean, no swelling and vent is not dirty at all. Hoping this is just due to the home change, but also wondering if she wants to be broody- she wanted to stay laying in the nesting box, we closed it off and she is back up on the roost now.

 

[aart]

She is eating, drinking and pooping consistent to our other birds, we have 4 hens (they are in a seperate coop- we let them play together in the evenings, introducing them slowly) rooster with her ( she came with the roo). Her abdomen and vent are clean, no swelling and vent is not dirty at all. Hoping this is just due to the home change, but also wondering if she wants to be broody- she wanted to stay laying in the nesting box, we closed it off and she is back up on the roost now.

Could be moving stress ...... and/or fighting off new 'bugs' in the new environment.
Just keep a close eye on here and give her time to adjust.

 

[Nikyerin]

Thanks all, she seems to be OK, I am guessing just stress from the re-homing.