is this normal chicken behaviour

[boykin2010]

i just went out to check on my hens and i noticed something strange i have never seen them do. they pull in their heads close to their bodies and fluff up their feathers and kinda stand hunched. does this just mean that they are cold or is it something else. they just stand there and they pull back their heads and their feathers are fluffed then they kinda just close their eyes really slowly. then if i move they open their eyes back up and act normal. does this just mean that they are cold?

 

[CMV]

That's what mine do when they are cold. They especially do that if it's windy. Chickens don't approve of cold winds.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
+1

 

[boykin2010]

ok. it is pretty windy here. i was just making sure because i am pretty sure a disease is spreading thoughout my flock. i have had 4 chickens die in 4 months. i am in the process of sending one off to be autopsied. i am still waiting on the results.

 

[boykin2010]

anybody else?

 

[Miss Lydia]

mine fluff up and pull their heads in when cold. Hopefully thats all thats going on with yours.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
I thought you got the results. Wasn't it a tumor in the cloaca? Or have you sent some more in for necropsy?

 

[ErinG]

One of mine acted like that when she had coccidiosis. I would keep an eye on them. My first clue was that she was falling asleep standing up, and this was unusual behavior. You could get their poop tested? They could be sick...or just cold (hopefully).

 

[boykin2010]

another one has died and i sent it off again... i will look into cocci thingy

 

[boykin2010]

ok i looked into the coccidiosis and some of the symptoms fit and some dont.
. here are some symptoms that fit. 1. the one that died had tons of caked white diarehia on it. that was one of the symptoms
2. a couple of them have their feathers fluffed up.
3. before they die they seem lethargic and they cant keep their eyes open.

here are some symptoms that dont fit. bloody poo loss of appetite and huddling together.