Newbie Here...HELP! Lethargic and comb id pink & limp

[mudwoman]

Hello everyone,
I am a first time chicken mommy. I inherited a flock of 11 hens & 4 roosters about 5 weeks ago, almost all are different varieties. Upon opening the coop his morning, one hen was laying on the floor. She let me pick her up. VERY UNUSUAL for any of these chickens. She let me hold her in my lap and I felt all around her, she did not indicate any pain. I took her to the water and she drank a tiny bit, put a handful of pellets next to her and she ate 2 or 3. She is very lethargic and her comb is light pink, not her usual bright red, like all the others, and it kind of flops to the side. She is keeping one of her feet kind of rolled up, but when I unfurled it and touched all around up to her body she didn't indicate any pain. I put her in a large dog-carrier, put in a bed of fresh straw, (their usual substrate), with a pile of pellets and a shallow dish of water and closed the gate on carrier and placed it in the coop. At first I thought she might have fell from the roosting bar and hurt her leg, but since she indicates no pain, I'm lost. Now what?? The pink comb and lethargy is not the norm, I think. Again, I'm new to all this, but the rest of the flock is fine. I have not changed anything. I have spent an hour looking through the forums and find no help. Can anyone tell me what might be going on here?
PS: they did run out of water yesterday but, NOT for a long time at all. Long before roost time, I had refiled it, seemed like everyone got a good drink before bedtime.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Poor chicken. It can be tough to figure out what is going on with chickens. Is it hot in Washington? That might contribute to problems. Do you know about how old she is?

At least now that she is separated from the others you can monitor her food and water intake and see what her poop looks like. You can put a pinch of sugar in her water to see if that perks her up at all. She might benefit from some electrolytes in her water. They sell them at feed/farm stores but some people use pedialyte in a pinch.

Keep monitoring her and if you notice any other symptoms maybe we will be able to figure out what is bothering her.

 

[Mathew544]

From your pictures it looks like your chickens are of mating age and 11 hens to 4 roosters is a very uneven ratio. It is recommended that you have 1 rooster for 10 hens. Roosters are territorial and polymagous and they don't like sharing there hens. I am just now finding this out as well. Mine are at 17 weeks now and originally I had 4 hens and 5 roosters because I bought them as a straight run from tractor supply. They are Brahmas, typically a calmer breed, and they are fighting like crazy and beating the crap out of the hens for the past week now. Everyone is so scared they won't even go in there coop and prefer to sleep with the barn cats instead. I had to face "reality" and cull two of the roosters and now there are three left. If they keep fighting there will be even less roosters. I would bet money that your hen was attacked and is probably not feeling well. I watched my roos pounce on top of the hens and other roos and peck at them like crazy. Then they would be lethargic for a day or two or so scared of even going back. I had to break them up it was so bad. The one roo wasn't even allowed to come out from the barn without get pummeled by all the other roos. Just my opinion but I would watch for aggressive roosters.

 

[mudwoman]

Hi Scratch n' Peck,
Thank you for reaching out to me. Seperating her was the only thing I could think of so I could monitor only her, and if things change, maybe a poop, I could post a photo of it. (That sounds like fun!). Yes & no on the hot in Washington question. It is our usual summer, high 70's and cool nights in the 50's. so... "Not really", is my answer. I have lot's of property. They all are free range during the day, lot's of shady places for relaxing and taking dirt baths. She is probably about 1-1/2 yrs. old.
I just went in the coop, picked up the water dish to her beak and she drank. I figure, that's a good thing. I will put a pinch of sugar to see if that incites her to drink on her own. (how the heck will I be able to tell? it will evaporate throughout the day, she may knock it over, (even though she is exactly where I left her in the cage) She was not interested in the food, but, I'm not really worried about that...yet, anyway. I will put a pinch of sugar in there now. I will keep personally pushing the water, and I like your Pedialite idea. I think I will run to the grocery store and buy some. Her foot is uncurled now and she stood up for a moment while drining her water. I will post an update later this evening as to how the day went. ( IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE REPLY TO MY POST. )
Thanks again, S&P, I really needed to hear from someone!

 

[Eggcessive]

It's really hard to tell sometimes what exactly is wrong when they are lethargic. Coccidiosis happens sometimes in older chickens who change locations from one place where they have built up immunity to a certain strain, then they have a new strain that they have not immunity to. At her age she may have egg bound or internal laying issues. How long has it been since she laid an egg? You can examine the inside of her vent for an egg with a lubricated gloved finger. Worms, lice, and mites can zap a hen's energy, so rule that out.

 

[mudwoman]

Hi Matthew544,
I know I have a terrible ratio of hens/roosters. That's just how they came to me when I took over a friends flock who was moving, 5 weeks ago. I have been trying to give away all but 1 mini-banty. ( He is so small, he cannot mount a single hen, that's why I will keep him.) People keep promising they will take the roosters, but, no one has yet to keep their promise. I thought I would have gotten rid of them by now. The Roosters do not fight, they "posture". It is a rape fest twice a day, and I hate it. It happens VERY quickly and the Roo's do not pick at or hurt the hens. although being " pounced" on by a big Roo is probably not painless. This chicken declined more than likely over night, in the coop, where I NEVER hear anything going on but little noises, no agression. I totally agree, I must loose these roosters. Since I have been blown off by the people who say they want them, I'm not opposed to the cull method. After all, I may be a Newbie, but, I will have no remorse. If I could seperate them I would. Their wings are not clipped, so fencing them off will not work, and shoving them in the barn with no sunlight doe's not appeal to me as a good option, or is it?
Thank you so much for responding!

 

[mudwoman]

Hi Eggcessive,
The coop came with the flock, so, it's their same old digs. I also did not change their food. All went well in the move, no molting, no change in egg laying in the 5 weeks they have been with me. I am not seasoned enough to tell who lays what eggs. I get 8-10 per day, and have 5 boxes. I did read here in a few posts about the egg-bound issue. I felt her chest and underbelly, then felt another one that was in her nesting box to see if there were any differences. I found them to "feel" the same. The only time I've ever been able to touch or pet any hens is when they are in the nesting boxes. I'm not savvy to the vent checking thing, but, I suppose I could do it if I had to, with a little internet reading on how to do that. Is it okay to leave her in the carrier for a few days?

 

[ten chicks]

Hello everyone,
I am a first time chicken mommy. I inherited a flock of 11 hens & 4 roosters about 5 weeks ago, almost all are different varieties. Upon opening the coop his morning, one hen was laying on the floor. She let me pick her up. VERY UNUSUAL for any of these chickens. She let me hold her in my lap and I felt all around her, she did not indicate any pain. I took her to the water and she drank a tiny bit, put a handful of pellets next to her and she ate 2 or 3. She is very lethargic and her comb is light pink, not her usual bright red, like all the others, and it kind of flops to the side. She is keeping one of her feet kind of rolled up, but when I unfurled it and touched all around up to her body she didn't indicate any pain. I put her in a large dog-carrier, put in a bed of fresh straw, (their usual substrate), with a pile of pellets and a shallow dish of water and closed the gate on carrier and placed it in the coop. At first I thought she might have fell from the roosting bar and hurt her leg, but since she indicates no pain, I'm lost. Now what?? The pink comb and lethargy is not the norm, I think. Again, I'm new to all this, but the rest of the flock is fine. I have not changed anything. I have spent an hour looking through the forums and find no help. Can anyone tell me what might be going on here?
PS: they did run out of water yesterday but, NOT for a long time at all. Long before roost time, I had refiled it, seemed like everyone got a good drink before bedtime.

Any other symptoms,discharge from eyes/nostrils,any change in poop,different feed,any panting/wings spread? How hot was it yesterday,you mentioned that chickens were out of water,this can cause problems like dehydration,which can happen very fast in chickens. Chickens do not tolerate heat well,they have no sweat glands. Eggcessive mentioned Coccidiosis,this is also a possibility,does not matter that coop is the same,cocci can be spread by birds,carried on clothing/shoes,etc. You may have a different strain in your area that chickens have not built up any immunity to. Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tract,almost all birds have some cocci in their sml intestines,only becomes a problem if they have an overload of it. Some symptoms of cocci are runny/watery poop(may or may not contain blood)fluffed feathers,lethargic,not eating/drinking properly,general look of unwell.

Check her for impacted crop(does her crop empty or does it appear full all the time)?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It sounds like you have ideal chicken weather in the 70's, so that is not the problem. Cocci is most commonly from the soil so that is still a possibility. It is good to keep her separated like you are for a few days. Here is a link to a common ailment thread that includes info on cocci and worms etc https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517234/medical-treatments-recommended-by-bycers#post_6580204

 

[mudwoman]

Hi tenchicks,
You gave me so much info. it's difficult for me to digest. I did feel her crop against another hen, they both felt full and the same. She shows none of the other signs you mentioned, thankfully. Just the lightening of her comb and lethargy. She is drinking when I hold the water dish up to her beak. i did add a pinch of sugar as suggested by Scratch n' Peck, I could tell she liked it. In order to address your other comments, I'm going to have to give it a day or so, as she has yet to poop in the carrier, and a change in her crop is unknown to me yet. I feel like a mother with her first newborn infant. I will be gone tomorrow for 5 hours during the day, but, I've decided if she doe's not perk up by bedtime, I am leaving her crated.
How am I doing?