miller4285
In the Brooder
I have a 23 week old yellow leghorn. This one we kept going back and forth on whether it is a hen or a rooster. Usually vibrant, suddenly it just wants to sit in a nesting box, or even if it is in the run, it will just sit there on the ground and not even make an effort to move when we enter . So I thought "hey! Maybe it IS a hen about to lay". But then I noticed the usually upright comb is slightly paler than usual and is laying to the side. Also, I noticed he looks like he sat in chicken poop.....so I looked around further an noticed some loose stool in the nesting box. Brown in color. I can't tell if appetite has dwindled or not. No nasal discharge or apparent trouble breathing. We have two other of the same breed we are sure are hens, 3 RIRs that seem to be hens, and a Delaware rooster approx 4 to 6 weeks older than the rest of all of those (my RIRs are 22 weeks, leghorns 23). They get a diet of layer feed. I haven't introduced oyster shell yet, as I was told to wait until I get an egg (my step dad is now making me nervous saying if we don't have eggs yet, they are probably all roosters, but I have had a forum look at pics and say they are hens). Also, my mom puts greens from the garden in the run, along with a bit of the nice green grass from outside the run. I haven't looked yet, but they don't seems to be "itchy" or anything as far a mites. I put diamatacious (sp?) earth in with the bedding last time I did a deep cleaning of the run and house. Any thoughts? Should I isolate him? Help!
