Lethargic chicken, need advice

[archtct2be]

Hello,

I have an Easter Egger pullet that is right at 20 weeks old. When I went to the coop earlier today to let my chickens out to range I noticed she was standing in the corner of the run and not acting "right".

Slumping posture - head and tail down (in-line with her back), generally lethargic, and very easy to walk over and pick up - she's usually a little skittish. I gave her a good once over and didn't see anything glaringly wrong. Eyes are bright and clear, though she closed them frequently. No discharge around eyes, nostrils, beak. No coughing, wheezing, labored breathing. Vent was clean and dry (none of my chicks from this spring have started laying yet, though this one has been squatting for the rooster recently). Feathers around the vent are clean - no signs of runny poo or other discharge. I felt her crop, which is full, but doesn't seem to be hard. She didn't act like her crop was tender when I was feeling it and the skin is not red. Checked skin in several places, didn't see any signs of parasites. Don't know about poo - she's isolated now, sow I'll be watching for that.

I have noticed that she has been occasionally walking around or standing with her wings slightly lifted from her sides for a few days, maybe a week, but she would always return to normal posture and activity when I or one of the other chickens would get near. Frankly, I just assumed she was about ready to start laying and wasn't really thrilled with the prospect...

All of my chickens were vaccinated for Mareks (sp?) at the hatchery. They have always eaten a good quality organic feed - starter/grower to 16-18 weeks, then layer. They have grit, oyster shell, food, and water free choice.

I have 13 chickens total, 5 hens and a rooster that are 1.5 years old and 7 pullets from this Spring that are 20 weeks. No other birds exhibiting symptoms.

What should I be looking for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[SeaPolka]

Hello,

I have an Easter Egger pullet that is right at 20 weeks old. When I went to the coop earlier today to let my chickens out to range I noticed she was standing in the corner of the run and not acting "right".

Slumping posture - head and tail down (in-line with her back), generally lethargic, and very easy to walk over and pick up - she's usually a little skittish. I gave her a good once over and didn't see anything glaringly wrong. Eyes are bright and clear, though she closed them frequently. No discharge around eyes, nostrils, beak. No coughing, wheezing, labored breathing. Vent was clean and dry (none of my chicks from this spring have started laying yet, though this one has been squatting for the rooster recently). Feathers around the vent are clean - no signs of runny poo or other discharge. I felt her crop, which is full, but doesn't seem to be hard. She didn't act like her crop was tender when I was feeling it and the skin is not red. Checked skin in several places, didn't see any signs of parasites. Don't know about poo - she's isolated now, sow I'll be watching for that.

I have noticed that she has been occasionally walking around or standing with her wings slightly lifted from her sides for a few days, maybe a week, but she would always return to normal posture and activity when I or one of the other chickens would get near. Frankly, I just assumed she was about ready to start laying and wasn't really thrilled with the prospect...

All of my chickens were vaccinated for Mareks (sp?) at the hatchery. They have always eaten a good quality organic feed - starter/grower to 16-18 weeks, then layer. They have grit, oyster shell, food, and water free choice.

I have 13 chickens total, 5 hens and a rooster that are 1.5 years old and 7 pullets from this Spring that are 20 weeks. No other birds exhibiting symptoms.

What should I be looking for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Sorry I couldn't cant help you, hopefully someone will. I think lifting the wings from the sides means the chicken it too hot? Maybe she's got a little heat stroke depending where you live. Wish you both the best

 

[SeaPolka]

Sorry I couldn't cant help you, hopefully someone will. I think lifting the wings from the sides means the chicken it too hot? Maybe she's got a little heat stroke depending where you live. Wish you both the best

*can't

Gosh, I need to go back to grammar class

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Hello,

I have an Easter Egger pullet that is right at 20 weeks old. When I went to the coop earlier today to let my chickens out to range I noticed she was standing in the corner of the run and not acting "right".

Slumping posture - head and tail down (in-line with her back), generally lethargic, and very easy to walk over and pick up - she's usually a little skittish. I gave her a good once over and didn't see anything glaringly wrong. Eyes are bright and clear, though she closed them frequently. No discharge around eyes, nostrils, beak. No coughing, wheezing, labored breathing. Vent was clean and dry (none of my chicks from this spring have started laying yet, though this one has been squatting for the rooster recently). Feathers around the vent are clean - no signs of runny poo or other discharge. I felt her crop, which is full, but doesn't seem to be hard. She didn't act like her crop was tender when I was feeling it and the skin is not red. Checked skin in several places, didn't see any signs of parasites. Don't know about poo - she's isolated now, sow I'll be watching for that.

I have noticed that she has been occasionally walking around or standing with her wings slightly lifted from her sides for a few days, maybe a week, but she would always return to normal posture and activity when I or one of the other chickens would get near. Frankly, I just assumed she was about ready to start laying and wasn't really thrilled with the prospect...

All of my chickens were vaccinated for Mareks (sp?) at the hatchery. They have always eaten a good quality organic feed - starter/grower to 16-18 weeks, then layer. They have grit, oyster shell, food, and water free choice.

I have 13 chickens total, 5 hens and a rooster that are 1.5 years old and 7 pullets from this Spring that are 20 weeks. No other birds exhibiting symptoms.

What should I be looking for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

possibly cocci, how is her poo?
cocci can affect very quickly and makes them sluggish, slouchy and ruffled in appearance

also very easily treated BUT can kill quickly if left unattended

you need amprolium or corid, can be bought at most big feed stores like TSC, but its in the cattle section (i think)

should be about $25 and you will get quite a few treatments out of it

 

[chickendreams24]

She's rather old for it but have the recently been introduced to your other flock or let out on grass or the ground? If so it could be cocci.

How's her comb look?

Pictures could help

If she's been squatting for the rooster she's pretty close to laying. It's possible she could just be having a hard time and doesn't understand what going on. How's her vent look? Does it look like she's ready to lay? Enlarged and moist?

Some of our pullets get very upset and lethargic before laying the first couple of times.

Let us know when she poops. Has she eaten and drank? How's her crop feel? Normal, hard, squishy?

Could she have eaten something she shouldn't have? Dried longer grass, any sort of plant matter that could be bad for her?

 

[chickendreams24]

They also usually have a liquid form of the corid.

We keep it on hand constantly bc it can be so deadly so fast.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

You said no runny poo...right? I've had a couple of pullets that behaved like this, when just about to lay. It's like they're thinking, "a-oh, I feel weird". So, I filled a dish tub with warm water and sat them in it for about 10 minutes. Then, a gentle dry off with a towel and back to the coop. An hour later I would find them going in and out of the nest box. Finally, another hour later...a loud cackle, "I laid an egg!" When they drop their wings downward, it is a typical display for egg binding. Hopefully nature will take it's course soon.

 

[archtct2be]

Thanks to all for the replies!

Just checked on her again. Still standing with the same posture, otherwise unchanged.

Her face is maybe a little lighter in color than my other EE, but not drastically. The skin behind her ear lobes is light/washed out (may be normal, I don't know) but comb/wattles are very close to the other EE. (These are my first EEs, so I don't have a very good familiarity with the breed yet...)

She hasn't pooped much so far. I only saw one very small dropping, but it was normal in terms of everything except for size.

I felt her crop again, and it does not feel impacted. In fact, this time it felt empty.

Again, vent looks clean and dry. Still kind of small, not like my older hens that are laying.

She also weighs about the same as my other EE.

This was taken just a few minutes ago.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Photo of how she is standing?

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Photo of how she is standing?

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