Pullet ADR no apparent reason

[maggie&thechicks]

I have a Buff Orp pullet, @6mo who is not really thrifty. She has been a problem for a while, actually. When she was a chick>young pullet, she seemed unhealthy and I gave her extra vitamins (not an especially easy task) and it seemed to help. At the time she was uneven in her gait and wasn't taking very good care of herself. She always seemed dirty and unkempt. The other 7 chicks seemed disgustingly healthy, still do. She improved with the extra vitamins, although she became very shy since I had to capture her daily and force them down her throat. Now, several months later, she is, again becoming dirty and sad looking. Her feathers always look ungroomed and she looks thin. She is the lowest in the pecking order and since the rooster been active, he has been picking on her unmercifully. How can I help this grrl?

 

[maggie&thechicks]

I guess I didn't give enough information according to the instructions. My little flock is eating Purina Flock Raiser, occasional cracked corn and whole oats, oyster shell and garden/kitchen leavings (currently pumpkin). They free-range in the afternoons. I have not given the poor grrl anything recently, just the liquid baby vitamins as a chick & @3months ago, which seemed to help. They stay in a secure pen and a house which they can leave at will, bedded in pine shavings. Three of the 7 pullets are laying at this time (two for the first time yesterday!). Do I need to give her extra vitamins her whole life? If so, how do you suggest I do that? The others seem fine without.

 

[chookchick]

Could it be that she is not getting enough to eat as she is lowest in pecking order? Someone else, I think Gritsar, had this problem and hand fed the hen every day. You could try making her a nutritious treat with the poly-visol in it, so she will enjoy sharing her "treat time" with you. Also check her over carefully for pests, and maybe do a fecal float for worms? I have one hen who has bad eye sight and I hand feed her when I go out, luckily she is smart and caught on quick (get on the roost for hand-fed food!).

 

[maggie&thechicks]

Thank you for your reply. I will try to figure out a way to hand feed her some goody with vitamins and extra nutrition mixed in. Unfortunately she is the ONLY shy chicken in the flock. The others would mob me for treats and she will not come close so I will have to figure a way to separate her. I had to corner and capture her before to get the vitamins in her and she remembers that. I feel bad for my poor little "blond hippie chick"! I named my chicklets after blues singers and unfortunately her name is Janis. Karma?

 

[maggie&thechicks]

I've separated her for a couple hours in the afternoon and given her some extra feed, yoghurt, & scrambled egg with vitamins. She's not thrilled to be alone, but may eat some of it. She seems to be getting better, although it is early yet to really tell. She has just started laying her first eggs, so I guess she's not too stressed!? She is still moving more slowly and is more unkempt looking than the others. Her feathers just look rough & dirty! But when I pick her up she really doesn't seem lighter weight. I haven't brought out the bathroom scales to weigh them though! The cockerel picks on her rather a lot (more than the others), pulling out her feathers, and making her scream. Of course none of the pullets much like his attention at this point. Hopefully his technique will improve before he loses his "peanut gallery"! The dogs are working hard, thinking they are breaking up "chicken fights"

!

 

[purpletree23]

Would it be more humane to rehome her? Sounds like she is barely keeping her head above water trying to stay away from the rooster and getting picked on by the girls.