Mentally Challenged Orpington Pullet

[thecatumbrella]

There always seems to be one in the bunch. Our Wren was the only one that needed assistance with coop training. She will frequently play "the floor is lava" and can't figure out how to get down from low perches. And I'm convinced she'll never learn how to use a horizontal nipple drinker. She mimes the act of pecking it and drinking, but no water is actually coming out.

She bites my hand to the point of making me bleed, for absolutely no reason, then 2 minutes later she comes for cuddles and treats.

I've got one of these (appropriately named "Hornet", in my profile photo). Loves to snuggle, but her love language is biting.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

her love language is biting.

Oh I am totally stealing this. My love language is slapping stupid people upside the head

 

[Mother of Chaos]

There always seems to be one in the bunch. Our Wren was the only one that needed assistance with coop training. She will frequently play "the floor is lava" and can't figure out how to get down from low perches. And I'm convinced she'll never learn how to use a horizontal nipple drinker. She mimes the act of pecking it and drinking, but no water is actually coming out.


I've got one of these (appropriately named "Hornet", in my profile photo). Loves to snuggle, but her love language is biting.

Our BO has always been the quietest, least adventurous of the three. She didn’t even really make any noises for a long time. The others, especially the BR, would steal any bugs or snacks she found, and she’d just watch. She needed an overturned bucket to get in the coop (about 30” up.)

But when I started watching, I saw more. When treats are thrown out and hers are taken, she waits a moment or two, and then quietly eats what the others abandoned to steal hers. When the BR got on her last nerve, she gave her a hard peck and stared her down. Once she started laying, she developed her own variety of chicken talk, just a quiet murmur in D flat (always D flat.) She can release an almighty squawk if someone tries to cut in line for the nest box.

She reminds me of that one kid in a rowdy family who just quietly disappears to do her own thing.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Forcing myself back on topic: I agree that it sounds like OP’s Orp has a neurological (medical) issue. Worth trying vitamin supplements, which from many posts I’ve read, seems to help surprisingly often.

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

OH they def can! AHAHAHA. I would def rule out other issues, like vitamins deficiencies and whatnot, but my friend has one chicken we call "hayhay" (from moana) because she acts JUST like it. She literally has little to not self preservation or fear of things it should... and there is more than once that it just forgets how to fly and walks off the top of the coop She's had it checked up and down, and the vet is just sure it's some kinda genetic issue at this point it was born with.

 

[CrazyChickenLady35]

Welp I’m not sure what happened. I just went out to check on all the chickens and I found my little orpington(Winnie) dead. No bite marks, blood, or any other indicators. I’m at a loss here. I never really got any good pictures and was planning on doing that today but here we are. Do you guys think she had something neurological going on? It had to have been something internal…

 

[FrostRanger]

Welp I’m not sure what happened. I just went out to check on all the chickens and I found my little orpington(Winnie) dead. No bite marks, blood, or any other indicators. I’m at a loss here. I never really got any good pictures and was planning on doing that today but here we are. Do you guys think she had something neurological going on? It had to have been something internal…

I think so, you can arrange for a necropsy at your state vet lab if you want but it does sound like she had stuff going on

 

[CrazyChickenLady35]

I think so, you can arrange for a necropsy at your state vet lab if you want but it does sound like she had stuff going on

I already buried her. Sometimes chickens just die. I’m mostly sad for my little brother (5 y/o) because she was his favorite one. He named her the day we got her and had come out to visit her every single day. But I told him what happened and he got to say goodbye and he gave the saddest little speech I almost cried.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m sorry you and your brother lost your girl, it does sound like she had something going on

 

[FrostRanger]

I already buried her. Sometimes chickens just die. I’m mostly sad for my little brother (5 y/o) because she was his favorite one. He named her the day we got her and had come out to visit her every single day. But I told him what happened and he got to say goodbye and he gave the saddest little speech I almost cried.

Totally fair, the necropsy would more or less just be for your curiosity, she almost certainly had nothing contagious
Sorry for you and your brother's loss