Hi Everyone, I have 9 chickens who are all approximately 22 weeks old. A few of my hens have recently started laying over the past week. This afternoon, my partner and I were out in their coop giving them treats (bread, fresh veggies, etc) and all of the chickens were fine. We've gone back in there just now (maybe 2 hours after we were last in there) to lock the coop door for the night, and one of our hens looks unwell. She was in the run (under the coop) and looked as though she was nesting. My partner has gone under there to try to get her out, and she hasn't moved. He has then picked her up without any fuss from her, and she was sitting on 3 eggs. However....she doesn't look well. Her beak was open slightly, and she has her legs straight out. She keeps flopping one wing to the ground, and if we try to stand her up she falls back down. Does anyone have any advice?? We've experienced all of our chicks dying before, and that was quick, but she was very happily running around less than 2 hours ago. Any help would be amazing!
Has this particular bird started laying? It sounds like she could be eggbound. I suppose she could also be broody. A broody hen that is taken off her nest will often just flop down like a pancake right where you put her down. Or she'll puff up like a basketball and make growling noises and run right back to her nest. Try getting her off the nest first thing in the morning and see how she behaves. Normally first thing in the a.m. a broody will take a really big poop, eat, drink, annoy all the other's with her cranky behavior and run back to her nest. How warm is it where you are? If she got a little overheated where her nest is that would explain the open beak. There are certainly other things that could be going on with her so you'll have to observe her for more symptoms.