Odd behaviour around time she should start laying

Nikb123

In the Brooder
Jun 4, 2021
19
6
16
My 18 week old blue azure hen has been acting strange the last two days. Very lazy and sleepy.. not engaging much with the rest of the flock. She has been laying down in the grass during free range time and now tonight when closing up the coop for the night she would not perch. Could this be due to the fact that she may start laying soon?
 
My 18 week old blue azure hen has been acting strange the last two days. Very lazy and sleepy.. not engaging much with the rest of the flock. She has been laying down in the grass during free range time and now tonight when closing up the coop for the night she would not perch. Could this be due to the fact that she may start laying soon?
They don't act like this when they start to lay, it's totally unexpected. Hmmm, @Eggcessive @MGG @EmmaRainboe what do you think?
 
My 18 week old blue azure hen has been acting strange the last two days. Very lazy and sleepy.. not engaging much with the rest of the flock. She has been laying down in the grass during free range time and now tonight when closing up the coop for the night she would not perch. Could this be due to the fact that she may start laying soon?
Can you give us a bit more information? Try: Check her feathers for mites or lice, feel her body for abnormalities, check her poop, see if it might be because of anything she could've eaten (check out this thread: poisonous-plants
 
That's totally not normal behavior. What do you feed them? Any other symptoms?
This week she would have had watermelon, basil mixed with wet food and diatamaceous earth, apple cider vinegar mixed with water, lavender plant, lettuce, cabbage, some bread crumbs blueberries. And than her dry food and anything she got free ranging in grass
 
This week she would have had watermelon, basil mixed with wet food and diatamaceous earth, apple cider vinegar mixed with water, lavender plant, lettuce, cabbage, some bread crumbs blueberries. And than her dry food and anything she got free ranging in grass
Quit feeding them all that 'stuff'.
A good chicken ration and plain water is best.

Is it hot where you live?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

I havnt seen any mites.
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.


Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008
 
Quit feeding them all that 'stuff'.
A good chicken ration and plain water is best.

Is it hot where you live?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/


Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.


Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008
Ok thanks so much I will try all of this
 

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