Question for those more knowlegable

[outdoor junkie]

One of my four girls has been acting weird the last couple days. I have for birds and they are always withing spitting distance of each other. But for the past few days she has just been by herself laying in various spots in the yard. Just lays for hours on end, and when she does get up she stands on one leg, then right back down. When I try to pick her up she seems to run ok. I witnessed her eat and drink just a bit ago for the first time, my neighbor who is an older gentleman and loves to sit out back and watch the birds do their thing says she has been just laying around all day the past two days. I'm kind of worried about her, but don't have a clue as to whats wrong. I checked her over and could find nothing wrong visibly? Just wonder if any of you have had experience with this type of behavior and what it may be. I know it's hard to say without seeing the bird, just trying to find some clues. Thanks to any info you can give me.

 

[tiki244]

No idea. Try confining her away from rest of flock in a cool and quiet place, and somewhat dark.. Give her some vitamins and probiotics and some scrambled eggs along with her food and see how she is.

 

[Lorimary]

You said you "checked her over" and didn't find anything obvious - not knowing what you were looking for (like a wound or something like that), I would say - If you haven't already, feel her crop and see if there is anything in there. And if you haven't already, check her butt and see if it's caked with poo. You may need to grab one of your other (healthy) hens for a comparison test if you're not sure what your looking for. If her crop seems full or at least seems to have "stuff" in it, massage it and tell us what it feels like to you (squishy, hard, grainy, etc - or "feels like gel" or "feels like a ziploc full of wet sand" or what have you). If her butt is poopy and nasty, note what it looks like (color, consistency, and look for worms or maggots). She if she feels especially angular (like she's anorexic) or odd in some way (again, maybe feel up a healthy hen for comparison). Smell her breath and see if it's nasty. Also try offering her a treat (maybe meal worms or spaghetti or whatever your girls normally go bananas over) and see if she is energetic enough to get her piece of the pie. Post your findings here, and let the hive chime in

 

[dawg53]

In addition to what everyone else here has stated; she could be eggbound, lice/mites, worms.

 

[pontoosuc]

how old is your chicken?

 

[outdoor junkie]

Thank you all. The birds are about 5 months old, I checked her vent area and everything seems normal. Her crop area felt a bit harder than the others, but not alot. She is eating and drinking a bit, but not close to normal, she just lays under the picnic table all day, and heads to the coop in the evening about an hour before the other birds. I treated the coop and the birds for mites and lice today, but have never noticed any. How do I know if I have a worm problem?