My lovely Jill is sick! I don't know what's wrong??

[louis73]

My sussex hen has been keeping to herself in the nesting box and fluffing up her feathers when I come near her although she is very tame so she is still placid when I pick her up. She doesn't come out on her own so I have taken her out and she will have a little bit to eat but then soon returns to the box. The other 2 hens are picking on her and chasing her around the yard. She fluffs up all her feathers when they come near. The three of them have always been best buddies so this is strange. On closer inspection all her feathers on her underbelly are gone and the area is quite red and hot. My dad suggested she might be 'egg bound'??? So I have felt around under her and it seems all loose with no bumps. When she drinks she is dunking her whole head in. We had mites in the hotter weather but after we treated they seem to have gone. I do have a few ticks in the small bit of bush on my land. Do they affect chickens? When she is in the box, she doesn't seem to favour the box with the eggs in it. I recently threw some DE around the pen and in the nesting boxes after the wet weather to help with pests. I did it when the chickens were free ranging. Could this make chickens sick? Help! Don't know what to do to help her???

 

[Kittymomma]

Is she only pooing about once a day and is it a huge stinking mess? The plucked underbelly, hanging out in the nest box (even though no eggs in it) and fluffing up all sound broody like.

 

[louis73]

I don't know if it was her poo but there was an enormous poo in the yard cause I almost stepped in it!! Would the other hens pick on her if she is broody??

 

[Kittymomma]

Sometimes, especially if she's chosen the "favorite" nest box to do her sitting in. They want in there and get irritated with her because she won't move. If she is broody (and I think she is) you're going to want to do one of three things: Break her from being broody--Give her some fertile eggs to hatch--Wait a couple of weeks and slip some day-old chicks under her at night.

They neglect themselves a bit when their broody and sometimes don't stop for months if they aren't able to hatch any chicks so I think it's kindest to break them if you don't want chicks. They do fine for the 3-weeks it takes to hatch out a clutch, but staying broody for longer can make them more vulnerable to parasites and disease.

 

[louis73]

Thanks so much for your advice. I will try and get some chicks in the next day or two. I hope two will be enough. Hopefully the other hens should be kind to the chicks. My sussex are a clicky bunch!

 

[lauralou]

I totally agree with Kittymomma. Jill sounds broody.

 

[lauralou]

Also, keep a close eye on her when you give her the chicks. Some hens won't accept them. Many will. Maybe most will.

Just tuck them under her wings at night, when she's sleeping, but then go out early in the morning and see how she is doing with them. If everything works out well, she should be able to protect them from the other hens also. But be watchful for the first few days.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
And, wait another week or so. Sounds like she's only been broody for a few days and I think you'll have better luck if you let her set on some fake or unfertile eggs for at least 10 days before sneaking the chicks in.

 

[sourland]

When you give her the chicks, you will need to seperate her from the other hens. They will most likely be agressive toward the chicks even to the point of killing them.

 

[louis73]

This is the second week she has been broody. She started acting funny the Monday before Easter. I think I will put my fake eggs under her for today and tomorrow and then slip some chicks under her on Friday evening. I suppose she won't know the difference if the chicks are a couple of days old?? Can't guarantee the local produce has just day olds.