Second hen showing signs of lethargy...

[CaptainSamH]

Do you feed anything at all besides this?
Any treats?

Oops, yes. Kitchen scraps like apple core/peels, popcorn, cereal dust - nothing rotten or moldy.

 

[coach723]

Judgement call for you, hard to make a decision for a bird we can't see ourselves. Just don't want you to have more problems on top of what ever is going on with her.

 

[CaptainSamH]

Can you post some photos of the poop and of the pullet?
Is her crop empty, full, bloated, etc.?

You mentioned a couple of time that you just re-introduced grit and oyster shell was there a reason why you took it away? Making both available free choice is best, imho.

What do you feed?

Checked her crop a few hours ago - felt normal...definitely not like the soft golf ball we dealt with for days with Buttercup (the one who passed). If the rain didn't wash it away I can get a shot of yesterday's poop, haven't seen any today (ut haven't been watching the entire time).
We gave them Oyster shell until a couple months ago, not sure why we stopped...I think hubs thought it was to help them as chicks. Never did give grit...didn't know about it. I sure do now. I have pint yogurt containers of each in the coop near their feed now and I just sprinkle a little in with their feed as well.

 

[CaptainSamH]

Judgement call for you, hard to make a decision for a bird we can't see ourselves. Just don't want you to have more problems on top of what ever is going on with her.

Will keep an eye on her.

 

[ValerieJ]

Does anybody have a recommendation for when I should separate her? We don't have a dog crate, and brought the previous chickens into our laundry room (heated floor) in a rubbermaid bin with wood shavings - but I do worry about re-introducing her if I completely remove her from the flock and manage to get her healthy again (not an issue in the previous situations, one already had her own run - long story - and the other died). She definitely not remotely as far gone as the one we just lost, but now I'm very attuned to the signs (standing in one place for several minutes, head sort of low, not running towards food when the others do) and the stakes are high for my kids.

This is just my way, and I have only dealt with injury, not illness. Yes, I have lost two hens to some sort of illness, but they showed no symptoms before hand. The incidents were more than a year apart too. But, when I'm caring for an injured bird, I brig her in immediately. A tote will work as well as a dog crate, just be a little claustrophobic perhaps for a large bird. I think she should be kept warm and quiet, and the tote would provide that for her. Plus, then you could be watching her more closely for changes in her poop, eating, drinking, etc. Everyone has to decide how they want to deal with their chickens.

 

[CaptainSamH]

If I do look out and she seems fine - roaming with the flock, head pecking at the ground - she could be faking, right? My instinct is that those really passive episodes are not ok and even her pecking looks fussy -like she's looking but not eating. Trying to get past my innate second-guessing habit...

 

[ValerieJ]

Checked her crop a few hours ago - felt normal...definitely not like the soft golf ball we dealt with for days with Buttercup (the one who passed). If the rain didn't wash it away I can get a shot of yesterday's poop, haven't seen any today (ut haven't been watching the entire time).
We gave them Oyster shell until a couple months ago, not sure why we stopped...I think hubs thought it was to help them as chicks. Never did give grit...didn't know about it. I sure do now. I have pint yogurt containers of each in the coop near their feed now and I just sprinkle a little in with their feed as well.

Oyster shell is very important to laying pullets and hens, and not needed by chicks at all. Grit is critical in digesting anything they eat besides formulated feed. However, I think you mentioned they free range, so chances area they are finding small pebbles in their scratching around. I'm glad you have provided these two critical elements to them now.

 

[ValerieJ]

If I do look out and she seems fine - roaming with the flock, head pecking at the ground - she could be faking, right? My instinct is that those really passive episodes are not ok and even her pecking looks fussy -like she's looking but not eating. Trying to get past my innate second-guessing habit...

They are prey. Any birds and animals low on the food chain will hide their illness and pain. It's a survival thing.

 

[Kiki]

Oops, yes. Kitchen scraps like apple core/peels, popcorn, cereal dust - nothing rotten or moldy.

How often and how much each time?
How many birds total?
anything that you feed them besides the complete balanced poultry feed is considered a treat.
If you were feeding daily treats they are probably not getting a balanced diet.
Sunbirds with fill up on nothing but treats.
This can lead to them becoming overweight very quickly.
Overweight hens are much more prone to having serious problems.
I highly recommend you feed nothing but the complete poultry feed.

 

[CaptainSamH]

How often and how much each time?
How many birds total?
anything that you feed them besides the complete balanced poultry feed is considered a treat.
If you were feeding daily treats they are probably not getting a balanced diet.
Sunbirds with fill up on nothing but treats.
This can lead to them becoming overweight very quickly.
Overweight hens are much more prone to having serious problems.
I highly recommend you feed nothing but the complete poultry feed.

Yeah, I'd say daily for 8 chickens, but not a set amount. This is really good to know. Even leafy greens? We can totally stick just to the feed and the free ranging.