I have just one chicken, my sweet Barred Rock, Speckles. She turned 5 years old in March. After winter moult she perked right up this spring--begin laying her every other day egg, eating everything, just her usual self. Then the Texas heat hit a couple of weeks ago. First she stopped laying, which is not unusual for her during the really hot time. BUT, she also started acting "whacky", standing and staring at the ground, not coming out of her pen the second we open the gate, acting like she didn't see worms or bugs we pointed out to her, going back into her pen at night and getting up on her roost without prompting even before it is dark. Monday morning I thought she must be OK because she ate about 150 June Bugs I had caught for her the night before. Then the next morning she ate just a few. Today all she has eaten is two beetles I caught for her, some cucumber seed mush, part of a strawberry and a bite or two of her scratch mix. I have been bringing her inside during the worst of the heat in the afternoon and I make a moist place in the shade of her pen when she is outside. She just sits on it and hardly moves all day. I have some vitamin drops for my cockatiel and I put some of them in her water, but I doubt she is getting much of it. She really doesn't just act "sick", but whacky--staring, pecking at nothing, but basically just sitting.
She is losing more weight every day. ANY ideas, suggestions or advice would be most welcome. I am absolutely crazy about this chicken; she is the best pet I've ever had and so sweet. If there is anything I can do I would love to know what it is. I would take her to a vet, but I don't think she is actually sick and I doubt that vets have experience with chicken care. Help, help, help!!
Debby
She is losing more weight every day. ANY ideas, suggestions or advice would be most welcome. I am absolutely crazy about this chicken; she is the best pet I've ever had and so sweet. If there is anything I can do I would love to know what it is. I would take her to a vet, but I don't think she is actually sick and I doubt that vets have experience with chicken care. Help, help, help!!
Debby