Sick or Cold?

[HeatherKellyB]

@Eggcessive always gives wonderful solid advice, so you've already received some wonderful advice. I am in my first year of keeping chickens. I picked up 3 silkies in August and 2 are cockerels and 1 Pullet. Bella, the Pullet tends to be very shy, and she's so petite and tiny. I noticed her being even more to herself so I started taking her inside and making her a bowl of mash (wet feed) a couple of times a day. This made a huge difference. She's still tiny but she has the energy to be a chicken and interact, plus she's growing, even though it's slow. I believe that even though feed is always available, she wasn't eating enough, whatever the reason was. I still do this usually once a day and her crop is rarely empty, except in the morning.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Thank you so much! You have been a huge help!

hows she doing today?

 

[Chickens4Life101]

hows she doing today?

Not so good. Went to let them out and she was huddled by herself in a corner of the coop. Normally, everyone including Snowman is right by the door waiting to get out. Brought her inside and gave her some Gatorade. She won't drink it unless we tip her head into it. But I do think that she likes it. She refuses to eat anything. I held her favorite treat (bread) up to her face and she didn't eat it. She isn't moving much either. She is just sitting down on a towel and not doing anything.

 

[Eggcessive]

Check her crop to see if it is emptying overnight. It sould fee empty this morning it she has not eaten; if it is full and puffy or hard there may be a crop problem or slowdown.

Look her over for mites and lice under her belly and elsewhere. Try to get her eating some treat, egg, tuna, mealworms, whatever she likes. Consider getting some droppings checked by a vet for worms and coccidiosis.