re: suspected paralysis scare - kind of funny

[ewesfullchicks]

It's been a rough year....one problem after another, after another...

Today, I went out to feed my older flock (1.5 yrs up to about 4-5 years old).

It's been cloudy, windy, and up and down with temps. Most time I go out to feed, and see my birds all puffed up trying to keep warm.

I feed twice a day, but this morning when I went out, I saw several chickens on their side kind of lifeless. One had a foot all curled under like she'd had some kind of stroke.

With the age of the hens, and the way my luck has been going....I just thought, "Oh know, an AWFUL disease - JUST what I needed - NOT".

My plan was to just feed all the OK ones, then scoop up the sick ones, and try to figure out what was wrong with them.

I fed everyone and saw the "lifeless" ones suddenly perk up and rush to the feeders.

Diagnosis: SUNBATHING!

I am SO happy to confirm my initial diagnosis. As soon as the sun went in, and the wind picked up - all birds resumed normal winter behavior! NO birds were sunbathing/acting lifeless for the evening feed when temps had gone into the 40's!


As for me....I'm just glad of a little bit of good news for a change!

Happy New Year to all - and may the recession be short-lived!

Rachel
Bellecreek Farm

 

[LePetitFarmGirlinAK]

That's funny!

I'm glad your chickens are ok!

 

[mainchick]

that's silly! every girl likes to dust bathe every once in a while!!

 

[namreknat]

I had the same thing happen recently. Thought for sure I had a dead bird until it jumped up and walked off!

 

[the1much]

THAT AINT FUNNY !!!!!!

last week i looked over,, there was my ole roo laid out dead,, , he was SO dead, there was 2 hens over there eating him,,,,,,,i RAN over, screamed at the girls,, and scared the "puddin" outta my roo,, scared him so bad he jumped back to life and ran with the girls...

 

[Guinea Goonie]

One day I walked in and saw this:

I thought, great my only cochin roo, the frizzle and my poor little buff cochin have been killed.

Not so, they got up and ran to the feed.

 

[mypicklebird]

I think this fools most of us on a regular basis. I have a mini heart attack at least once a week- seeing 'dead' birds strewn around. They really do lay in odd positions when they are sun bathing or just finished dust bathing.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Penny got into one of Slifer's old wallows and all I could see was the top of her comb. I lost her in some leaf piles too because she blended in...
Tom's first dustbath, I thought she was having a seizure and rushed out to help. She shook off and gave me a dirty look...
glad that they were just being chickens...