Ok, what I know about chickens could fit in a thimble so if someone would mind taking the time and indulging my freakoutedness, I'd really appreciate it!
Fiona is 17 weeks old and one of my biggest girls. (New Hampshire). This morning she didn't come out of the coop with everyone else, and when I looked, she was laying down in one of the nest boxes. (No one has started laying eggs yet, the oldest are all 17 weeks, the youngest are 12 weeks). I can't honestly say if I have seen her in the nest boxes before.
Anyway she wouldn't come to me, so I went around and opened the box from the outside, which meant I had an excellent view of her rear end, because as soon as I pet her, her tail feathers went straight up and I could very easily view the vent. Clean bottom, clean around vent, vent pulsating (like breathing... is it supposed to do that?). I got her to stand and examined her legs, everything seemed good there. I picked her up and brought her into the run, holding her in my lap. I offered some food and she pecked at it a couple times at first then showed no more interest. She makes her usual chicken sounds, her eyes look good, she'd close them for a bit and then open. I put her down and she slowly went to the water but did not drink. She looked at it, put her head near it but wouldn't drink. She won't take food. She was fairly content to let me hold her.
I picked her back up and checked her again all over. Everything looks good. No wheezing or sneezing. Nothing runny from any orifice. Feathers all where they're supposed to be. Comb looks the same. I ran my hand down her underside and felt all the bones and whatnot but I seriously have no idea what I am doing. Her crop didn't seem large and I couldn't smell anything.
I put her back in the coop and she stood there for a little bit and then laid down where she was. I just now went out to check and she is now in a different nest box (the one furtherest from where I had left her so she did walk about 2 feet) and laying down in there. She seems alert but not hyperchicken alert.
Any ideas? Thank you!
Fiona is 17 weeks old and one of my biggest girls. (New Hampshire). This morning she didn't come out of the coop with everyone else, and when I looked, she was laying down in one of the nest boxes. (No one has started laying eggs yet, the oldest are all 17 weeks, the youngest are 12 weeks). I can't honestly say if I have seen her in the nest boxes before.
Anyway she wouldn't come to me, so I went around and opened the box from the outside, which meant I had an excellent view of her rear end, because as soon as I pet her, her tail feathers went straight up and I could very easily view the vent. Clean bottom, clean around vent, vent pulsating (like breathing... is it supposed to do that?). I got her to stand and examined her legs, everything seemed good there. I picked her up and brought her into the run, holding her in my lap. I offered some food and she pecked at it a couple times at first then showed no more interest. She makes her usual chicken sounds, her eyes look good, she'd close them for a bit and then open. I put her down and she slowly went to the water but did not drink. She looked at it, put her head near it but wouldn't drink. She won't take food. She was fairly content to let me hold her.
I picked her back up and checked her again all over. Everything looks good. No wheezing or sneezing. Nothing runny from any orifice. Feathers all where they're supposed to be. Comb looks the same. I ran my hand down her underside and felt all the bones and whatnot but I seriously have no idea what I am doing. Her crop didn't seem large and I couldn't smell anything.
I put her back in the coop and she stood there for a little bit and then laid down where she was. I just now went out to check and she is now in a different nest box (the one furtherest from where I had left her so she did walk about 2 feet) and laying down in there. She seems alert but not hyperchicken alert.
Any ideas? Thank you!
I would never make them vomit it can kill them. Long piece's of grass can cause impacted crop if that happens feed some olive oil. I would put ACV in the water instead of baking soda. Best of luck to you.
