My new chook keeps sitting down on ground

[mags6999]

Hiya. We got four chickens (on Monday). We've never kept chickens before but we adore them. Anyway one of them keeps sitting down on the ground. I've read she may be broody, but that broody hens sit in the coop. I'm really worried. Shes between 21 and 25 weeks old. All four have been laying eggs and we have taken them out of the nest box every day. My husband phoned the place we got them from (very reputable company) and asked if he should take her to the vets. They didn't seem too bothered and said wait until Monday. However we have noticed that her (sorry haven't learned the word yet, the crown??? on top of head is red but at the back it's floppy and pale. I can't say if she's been like that since Monday.. Any ideas, please? Also apparently there's tonics we can put in water. The chap that delivered them said it's nonsense. Does anyone have suggestions please?

Regards,
Worried Mags

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I am not sure what might be ailing your pullet. The top of the head has a "comb". The dangley things under the chin are the wattles.

You might want to post this question in our emergency section for more help with her...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Always use your own judgement. If you feel and animal should go to the vet, then do so. I sure hope she is ok.

 

[mags6999]

Thank you TwoCrows... Will follow link and post. I'm hopeful that I'm just being overprotective.

 

[gander007]

Alright

great to have you joining the BYC flock

BYC has a very useful learning center

A red comb is great but floppy is bad and you need to be concerned about any change in the comb as it is the first indicator of health ......


Try this feed two hard boiled egg's a day to this chicken and make sure the others also get some hard boiled egg's as there are vitamins B-3, protein, niacin and niacin is important for going to the bathroom for lack of better words this morning ... but it sounds like the diet of your bird needs to be check out first and it could be egg bound if she is not laying for this you need to check bottom for any hard spots ....


If you have the ability put her in a place where you can watch her buy herself ......




Two Crows gave you some good advice and I hope to see you in the Emergency-Diseases-Injuries .......

 

[drumstick diva]

Is she from a breed that generally has floppy combs?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your hen, hope she is OK. If you can post pictures of her that may help also.

 

[mags6999]

Hi All and thank you very much for your responses.

I don't know how to upload a photo but have changed my avatar to show Sandy.

Update: We let chooks out this morning. Sandy still not eating. Put a separate bowl at the end of the pen... she ate! Then changed height of the food container.... she ate. I think we sadly put this at the wrong height. anyway she ate and drank, didn't sit down and wasn't lethargic.

Then Keira and Freya laid their eggs in the coop. About 45 mins later Sandy decided to go up to the coop.. She sat for about 20 mins. Connie was desperate to lay. She went up but Sandy wouldn't have any of it. Anyway to cut a long story short (at this stage lol) Sandy laid an egg and was sitting on it. We took her out and placed her in the pen, and took the egg. She went back in and sat on Connie. We removed her again. Connie laid her egg and went down to the pen.

Sandy then went back in the pen. We researched again and decided she must be broody. We shut the coop door, having got her out again, but she climbed the ladders at least four times. She then started attacking the other girls aggressively. We opened the door, let her go in and then after a while went out to buy the materials to make a separate coop with wire so that her "undercarriage could be cooled".

On our return and to our surprise she was down in the pen with the others and acting normally!!! No aggression... you would think we had imagined all this. However she did sit for a whiile and puffed up. We still think she's broody... what do you think?

Once again thank you all for your input and care. I've decided to write a blog "KFC and The Colonel" (Keira, Freya, Connie and Sandy. Purely for my amusement and a diary for our venture forward... here's hoping i can figure out how to!

Oh: breed: she's a hybrid called Miss Pepperpot... a cross between Rhode Island Red and Maran cross) as is Freya. Keira and Connie are Gingernut Rangers ... a cross between Rhode Island Red and Light Sussex Cross.

Regards
Mags x