Sick 16 wk Pullet

[Millerland]

I currently have a 16 week old ISA brown pullet who is acting off. She lays on her side a lot while the other three we have are very active coming over to say hi when I walk to the coop and doing other typical chicken things. I saw her poop and it was fine, her eyes are clear, and her legs and feet look fine. In the last couple days she’s been laying down a lot and it’s freaking me out! I put some electrolyte boost in the water and she seems to be eating and drinking fine so hopefully that does the trick. I took a photo too to show how she’s laying. Any ideas or advice would be so appreciated!

 

[Jenwisp]

Has she layed any eggs yet?

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

Maybe it's something going on on the inside :/ Worst come to worst get a vet checkup

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

Another thing tho, does she have mites? Have you checked? Our hen got severe mites and got so weak she died

 

[Jenwisp]

ISA Browns are "supposed" to start laying around 16 weeks or so. Something in her system changing may be bothering her the wrong way. I'm new but that is what I would guess. My ISA's are 14 weeks so I will be waiting to see what happens with your ladybird.

 

[WindingRoad]

I currently have a 16 week old ISA brown pullet who is acting off. She lays on her side a lot while the other three we have are very active coming over to say hi when I walk to the coop and doing other typical chicken things. I saw her poop and it was fine, her eyes are clear, and her legs and feet look fine. In the last couple days she’s been laying down a lot and it’s freaking me out! I put some electrolyte boost in the water and she seems to be eating and drinking fine so hopefully that does the trick. I took a photo too to show how she’s laying. Any ideas or advice would be so appreciated!

Does she lay on her left side, stretch out her right leg, and then fan out her right wing over the leg in the sun? My two BSLW's did that and about scared me to death. They were like that on the rock by my back door one day. I thought they had keeled over and died. But no they got up quick when I came near. Now most of my birds do that now. When I opened the doors to the coop in the morning and the sun shines in they will lie down like that. Just a restful way for them to lie down.

They'll lie like that for 10-20 mins if another bird doesn't come along and want to lie in the very same spot.

 

[Millerland]

So she’s laying on her right side not her left. And I thought it could be that she might be getting ready to lay an egg-is that normal for her to lay like that if she’s going to lay an egg? And she doesn’t move when I walk in the coop she just lays there. Also how do you know if she has mites? I didn’t even think about that!!

 

[WindingRoad]

So she’s laying on her right side not her left. And I thought it could be that she might be getting ready to lay an egg-is that normal for her to lay like that if she’s going to lay an egg? And she doesn’t move when I walk in the coop she just lays there. Also how do you know if she has mites? I didn’t even think about that!!

Pick her up and check right down to her skin. Check around her vent. The mites like to hang around there. If you can't catch her during the day try in the dark as chickens have very low to no vision at night. Take a piece of white paper and rub it over an area and if you find red (blood) on the paper you know you have mites. Chickens stand up to lie. The push their lower abdomen forward and get their vent close to the floor. If you look you will see that their vents are higher up on their back sides. If they lay an egg from that height it most probably break. Have you ever watched a chicken lay an egg. It's cool. I think she's ok just maybe a more laid back chicken than your others.

 

[Millerland]

Has she layed any eggs yet?

Pick her up and check right down to her skin. Check around her vent. The mites like to hang around there. If you can't catch her during the day try in the dark as chickens have very low to no vision at night. Take a piece of white paper and rub it over an area and if you find red (blood) on the paper you know you have mites. Chickens stand up to lie. The push their lower abdomen forward and get their vent close to the floor. If you look you will see that their vents are higher up on their back sides. If they lay an egg from that height it most probably break. Have you ever watched a chicken lay an egg. It's cool. I think she's ok just maybe a more laid back chicken than your others.

So I just checked on Peggy (that’s her name) and she seems to be doing ok. I checked her vent and for mites and nothing. I did a good clean out of the roosting area and the nesting boxes and gave them a bunch of fresh hay in their run. Hopefully it’s her first egg and she’s just getting things figured out. When we let them all out to roam she hung right with the rest of the flock. I’ve got a chick boost probiotic that I’ll put out in their water again just to do something. Fingers crossed it’s just a fluke and she’s just a lazy bird lol

 

[Jenwisp]

Well, my ISA's are 14 weeks but there's one with more red in the face than the others. I've read here that it could mean she is close to laying. I caught her hanging back in the coop this weekend when everyone else came out to play. We went to check on her and she was just fine. She ran outside with everyone else because we were in her business. I haven't caught her inside again either but the rooster noticed the hormones I think because he did try to make his move. She wasn't having it!

I wish you the best!