Hi y’all - sorry for the super lame title, but I am at a loss..
One day my 19wk old pullet was running about like a teenager, the next she was a little bit slower. I kept an eye on her, she drank water, attempted to peck at some food and scratch on the ground. The next day she was visibly, much slower. Like she was moving in slow motion.
I felt her crop, it was virtually empty, but for a bit a grit. She is very passive and the lowest on the pecking order of 14 chickens, so I thought okay maybe they aren’t letting her eat. Even though I have 5 food bowls spread throughout the run, and 3 water jugs.
She has a clean vent, her lower belly shows no signs of egg bound (I don’t actually know if she’s laid any yet, but I don’t think she has.) her eyes are clear, her nose is clean. Her crop isn’t making any sour crop sounds and her mouth doesn’t stink. Her tongue is clean and pink. She has watery poop, but makes sense if she’s mostly just drinking water. No signs of worms in poop, no mites or lice. She isn’t hunched or poofed up, no strange postures and her comb has stayed bright red this whole time…….. what the heck?
She moves in slow motion, and she goes to peck a treat but turns away the second more than two chickens come up. I let just her out before everyone else, to see if she’d eat and it’s the same bevhaviour. Oh, on the second day of her acting like this, I did catch her yawning and pulling her crop up (even though it felt empty to me) so I thought she might be trying to empty it of something? I’m not sure, she’s only done it that one day.
Two days ago, I stuck her in a cage with food and water. It was hard to tell if she ate anything because it got knocked over and her crop is so tiny. But she sure does drink her water. And the in the morning she has more energy and moving slightly more normal. But still, just off?
I’ve only been offering her the chick boost water, since it has vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics.
Any clue? I’m thinking she might have gotten into some yucky water? Or an icky plant when they were out? Or does it maybe should like a genetic thing and I’ll have to wait and see?
I’m so perplexed.
If you made it this far, thanks. Hoping someone has some ideas?
One day my 19wk old pullet was running about like a teenager, the next she was a little bit slower. I kept an eye on her, she drank water, attempted to peck at some food and scratch on the ground. The next day she was visibly, much slower. Like she was moving in slow motion.
I felt her crop, it was virtually empty, but for a bit a grit. She is very passive and the lowest on the pecking order of 14 chickens, so I thought okay maybe they aren’t letting her eat. Even though I have 5 food bowls spread throughout the run, and 3 water jugs.
She has a clean vent, her lower belly shows no signs of egg bound (I don’t actually know if she’s laid any yet, but I don’t think she has.) her eyes are clear, her nose is clean. Her crop isn’t making any sour crop sounds and her mouth doesn’t stink. Her tongue is clean and pink. She has watery poop, but makes sense if she’s mostly just drinking water. No signs of worms in poop, no mites or lice. She isn’t hunched or poofed up, no strange postures and her comb has stayed bright red this whole time…….. what the heck?
She moves in slow motion, and she goes to peck a treat but turns away the second more than two chickens come up. I let just her out before everyone else, to see if she’d eat and it’s the same bevhaviour. Oh, on the second day of her acting like this, I did catch her yawning and pulling her crop up (even though it felt empty to me) so I thought she might be trying to empty it of something? I’m not sure, she’s only done it that one day.
Two days ago, I stuck her in a cage with food and water. It was hard to tell if she ate anything because it got knocked over and her crop is so tiny. But she sure does drink her water. And the in the morning she has more energy and moving slightly more normal. But still, just off?
I’ve only been offering her the chick boost water, since it has vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics.
Any clue? I’m thinking she might have gotten into some yucky water? Or an icky plant when they were out? Or does it maybe should like a genetic thing and I’ll have to wait and see?
I’m so perplexed.
If you made it this far, thanks. Hoping someone has some ideas?
I’m hoping someone has ideas or has experienced this? It’s almost like anorexia, she practically refuses to eat? She sure does drink a lot though.. so that’s something.
