Need Help - Depressed or Sick?

[OddGirlie]

I'm very new to raising backyard chickens. In the past couple of months that I've had my new little friends, things have been mostly peachy! All 4 girls were laying all the time and more or less getting along. But recently there was quite a lot of tragedy and I lost one of my girls, and out of the 3 left, two are injured and recuperating indoors where I can keep their injuries clean and give them their antibiotics without too much hassle. SO.... there's ONE little hen, the former leader of all my girls, all alone in the coop in the backyard.

This is where I need help...

Serendipity is behaving completely differently now that she's all alone. She stays in her nesting box all the time (though there are never any eggs when I check), and when I pick her up and set her down outside on the ground, she just sits there. I've seen her eat a tiny bit once so she's not NOT eating, you know? Also, it has been extremely hot out. (Austin, Texas in July is not pleasant.) So maybe it's not entirely depression? Anyway, I don't know if I need to take her to a vet to check her out or if I just need to try bringing my hurt girls out in a little crate where Serendipity can see them?

Suggestions are welcome... that's why I'm posting Thank you so much!

 

[azygous]

It might be one of a number of different things causing your leftover hen to behave as she is.

She may be depressed, and letting her see the others can't hurt. If it perks her up, you'll then know her behavior was caused by loneliness, which does happen.

Or she may be broody. Does she have bare spots on her breast along the breast bone? Does she flatten herself on the ground like a pancake, looking very wide, as opposed to a hen sitting normally retaining her shape? Does she prefer remaining in a nest box as opposed to going outside to eat or scratch around?

Or she could be sick. What color is her comb? Is it her normal color, or has it become more of a dark, purple? Or cherry red? The first is a sign of lung problems. The second is a sign of runny a fever and that infection may be present.

My bet is she's lonely. It's a good idea to allow the injured hens to recuperate within view of the remaining chickens for a number of good reasons. So give that a try and let us know how it goes.