New Keeper - Help/Advice Needed

[Jake123]

Hello Guys!
This is my first post on here so go easy on me please!!

I have recently started keeping chickens, I have 3 in total. 1 Amber, 1 Light Sussex and a Goldline.

They have turned 20 weeks old a few days ago and I know that they're getting closer to laying, the Goldline in the past couple of days has started sitting down and not moving a lot and occasionally falling over as if she is bottom heavy. However when food is put in front of her she will run for it and is quite happy to run away when someone enters the coop! I have found her on a couple of occasions sitting in the nesting boxes but no eggs.

I would just like someone to help me and clarify my suspicions, is this normal and because she is getting closer to laying?

I have attached a photo to hopefully help explain it a little better.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nova022]

Hello and welcome to BYC. Sorry I can't help with your question. I have only had my chickens 9 weeks so have no experience with the laying process.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hello and welcome!

That pullet doesn't look to be 20 weeks - are you positive on her age? Is that a current picture? She looks more like 13 weeks.

And no, that behavior is not normal. Practicing in the nest boxes is normal, but she doesn't look close enough to laying for that. And falling over is not a good sign. Is she puffed up at all? How is her poop? Any other strange behavior?

 

[DianaMallory]

First let me say Welcome to BYC! And when you say sitting down do you mean squatting? If so yes that is a sign she is either getting ready to lay or has already laid. How often do you check for your eggs? And you don't have to worry about peeps taking it easy on you here! I love it here everyone is super nice! When I feel like I am asking a stupid question I go to the learning center and search for my answer there first. Tour around the site there are so many helpful places here! Make sure you go to the where am I thread!

 

[DianaMallory]

Hello and welcome!

That pullet doesn't look to be 20 weeks - are you positive on her age? Is that a current picture? She looks more like 13 weeks.

And no, that behavior is not normal. Practicing in the nest boxes is normal, but she doesn't look close enough to laying for that. And falling over is not a good sign. Is she puffed up at all? How is her poop? Any other strange behavior?

Hey Happy Chooks could she be egg bound? My golden comets started laying at 14 weeks!

 

[Jake123]

Thank you everyone for all your replies and welcomes!

When I got her from the breeder I was told that they're all 16 weeks old so I'm just going by that. She has been totally fine until the past couple of days when all she does it sit like in the photo. The photo was only taken earlier this morning.

I would say her poo was alright, but being new to chicken keeping I'm not 100% sure to what I'm meant to be looking for. She's not puffed up or anything apart from when she shakes her feathers but they soon settle back down again

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm sorry to say that she's not 20 weeks and she's not anywhere close to laying eggs.

I would probably get some Corid, she may have coccidiosis. Coccidiosis is caused by an organism in the soil. (usually damp soil) Once their bodies get overloaded, they cannot deal with it and if left untreated, they will die. It won't hurt to treat the whole flock with the Corid - it is an amino acid. It has been a really tough year for coccidiosis.

I would also flip her upside down and look for lice near her vent.

 

[DianaMallory]

I have never dealt with deceases yet, Thank god! Do you have a better picture of her?

 

[DianaMallory]

When does she do the sitting down thing. Is it when you approach her? Does she shuffle her feet, like she is marching? And then afterward stand up and fluff her feathers?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have never dealt with deceases yet, Thank god! Do you have a better picture of her?

Coccidiosis isn't really a disease as it's not contagious. Multiple birds can get sick from the same source though.