Lethargic chicken sits, not roosts, in the bottom of the coop.

[BondHillChickens]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. - Golden Laced Wyandotte. 14 months old. Weight - haven't weighed her.
2) What is the behavior, exactly. - sits in the coop all day. WHen she is laying, she flattens herself. Not brooding. Typically, when I would pick her up and move her, she'd run out of the coop on her own. This morning, she was very lethargic.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? - Over a month.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? - We have one other brooder. The whole flock's egg production has gone down from 5 a day to two to three a day. But they dont act like she does.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. - NONE
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. - NONE
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. - Once I get her out of the coop, she goes for water and food.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. - She did have sticky butt, but I got off all the hangers-on. I am not certain which of the poops are hers, but none are bloody or runny.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? - NONE
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? - I want to know I need to call a vet or if the bird will infect the others if she is sick.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. - Will Post later if you ask.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Wood coop. We use pine shavings for the floor and straw for nesting boxes. I think she is sleeping on the floor and not roosting.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Sorry you are having trouble with your hen. Do you know when she laid last? When you pick her up, does she feel like she has an unlaid egg? What is she eating? Does she have a source of extra calcium?

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
Are you sure she isn't broody? It kind of sounds like a broody hen.

 

[jjthink]

A month is an extremely long time for a hen to be sick. She is very compromised at this point, based upon your description.......For this reason, I would have her see a vet if you can as her life may depend on it.

Also, if you can, provide some more info to help folks here help you help her.

What is her diet?
Is oyster shell available to your hens?
Is her comb nice and red or is it pale?
Are her eyes bright?
Any unusual discharges from eyes or elsewhere?
Do you know when she last laid an egg? Was it a normal egg?
What are the temps in your area?


I am concerned that if she hasn't been laying eggs, she may be an internal layer (which results in infection). Proper antibiotics may relieve infection but time is short. You have to act now. It is really good that you posted here on BYC.

JJ

 

[BondHillChickens]

I appreciate everyone's help.

My wife had a baby six weeks ago, so I've not been as attentive to our birds.


What is her diet? - We give her layer feed pellets that we bought at a feed store. I do not recall the name.
Is oyster shell available to your hens? - Yes, I put oyster shells into the feed. I don't measure, I just mix it in.
Is her comb nice and red or is it pale? - Comb is nice and red. She does have some white spots on the comb and has for a while. I put a question up on this on BYC and was told it wasn't a big deal.
Are her eyes bright? - Yup.
Any unusual discharges from eyes or elsewhere? - Not that I am aware of.
Do you know when she last laid an egg? Was it a normal egg? - No. We've had some thin eggs.
What are the temps in your area? - We live in SW Ohio, so it's been all over the place this year.

This bird, Masquerade, was the top of the pecking order. I went out to observe them after I cleaned up their coop and noticed the other birds avoid her. One of the Silver Laced Wyandottes chased her away. This is unusual as Masquerade (a Golden) was the aggressor.


If I did this right, here is a photo of her head.

Here is a full body photo. She is our biggest bird. Still eating. Still drinking.

 

[BondHillChickens]

More Info on our Wyandotte.
I harvested some radishes from our garden and threw the greens in with the chickens. While the other 5 started eating and scratching at the greens. Masquerade just ran around the yard, clucking. Sometimes running towards the other chickens and sometimes away. She pecked a little, but not alot. My wife is wondering if there is some worm or bug that can affect the brain of a chicken?

I am hoping my query doesn't get lost in the board! Help!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'm sorry, I just don't know. Do you have an avian vet in your area?
When you pick her up, does she seem lighter than usual? Have you checked for bugs? I'm just asking some pretty standard questions in case someone else can help find an answer.

 

[NewToFarming]

Did you say she is not broody?

 

[BondHillChickens]

Not broody. She seems the same weight when I pick her up. There have been ants in the coop and these little black bugs, but I don't know what they are.
Does this help?

 

[NewToFarming]

Gosh I really don't know and she looks absolutely gorgeous and healthy. The sitting in one spot and the strange clucking noises when she is up really sounded like broody behavior. My broodies might get up once a day and when they get up they do that cluck noise and run around like an insane chicken! LOL If you are sure she isn't broody than I have no idea what could be wrong!