Point of lay pullet acting lethargic

[eikome]

I have a 19 week old Welsummer pullet who has been recently showing signs of being close to laying her first egg (squatting, sitting in nest boxes, etc). Today she is acting off. She's sleepy, sitting down a lot, tucking her head under her wing, stands with tail down, football-shaped, walking slowly, eating and drinking less than normal (but still eating and drinking on her own), etc. She's not having trouble breathing, no wheezing or sneezing, no mucus in any orifice, no mites or lice, crop seems fine if slightly emptier than usual, comb nice and red, poops seem normal but small since she's not eating a ton.

Could she be egg bound or have some hitch in her reproductive tract? Would giving calcium help or harm if she's just coming into lay? (I did feel around her vent and there didn't seem to be anything stuck right there.)

Do pullets ever feel/act "sick" right before laying, but aren't actually sick? Like chicken menstrual cramps? Lol

Or is it more likely she's got an actual illness that needs treatment?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

She is most likely getting ready to lay. It happens, but you should still watch her behavior and watch out for any signs of pain/stress, etc.
I would suggest giving electrolytes to help with stress and an immune booster.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she getting enough food and water? Giving her one dose of caxlium with d3 or a Tums would not hurt. Tell us what her poop looks like, and if you see any yellow urates.

 

[SuperFluffyChickens]

Seconding the electrolytes, Poultry Cell is great, maybe give her some egg yolk or softened feed by syringe if she’s not eating for long periods of time and you can’t tempt her with treats. I had a hen like this, she was just about to start laying and started acting miserable, she even started “pushing” like she needed to lay an egg and I was worried she was egg bound, but she wasn’t. After a few days, she laid her first egg without much fuss. Hope the same is true for yours! Good luck!