Hello everyone, I'm sorry I haven't kept up with you, but there has been a lot going on. We finally built our coop under the back porch, and like some of you predicted, it didn't quite worked out the way we hoped. It did get us through the winter at least though! So now we are planning on getting a pretty good size shed to move them into. We have 36 chickens and hope to complete the flock to 40. I have a question (or set of questions) for you guys, if I may? A couple of days ago I went into the coop, and found one of my girls laying in the bedding. Thinking she was dustbathing, I thought nothing of it. But then I noticed she wasn't moving at all. She was dead. I checked her all over, and could not find what might have killed her. She had no wounds, was not skinny, nor overweight, was not eggbound. I figured she might have had a heart attack. Then yesterday I went into the coop expecting to find Dottie, my WR who never ever goes out with the others, but she wasn't there. I was glad, thinking she finally went outside. When I picked up a big rubber dish I sometimes give them leftovers or veggies in, out popped the weassel! Well, the chicken, any way. She was "hiding" under the dish. But then I noticed her right eye was closed, and she was acting really weird! I put her down, and she started moving her head and neck to the left, back and forth like a snake. I took her inside with me and put her in a box with some food and water. I tried feeding her and it was as if she were blind and couldn't find her food, yet I know she could see me out of her good eye. I put some arnica ointment on her eye, and eventually she opened it, but she is still moving her head the same way. I can tell she has problems eating as she tries to eat and can't quite get to the dish but she did eat some lettuce. She also laid 2 shell-less eggs yesterday. What is wrong with her? Are the situations with both chickens related? What can I do to help her? Is it an injury or a disease, do I need to be concerned about my other chickens? HELP!
