Soon to be layer, suddenly lethargic.

[thecatumbrella]

I've only gone from chick to egglayer 3 times, so please help me out.

Dandelion is about to start laying any day. She's is a very spirited chicken. Was her normal self (including going in and out of the nesting box) up until maybe the last hour. Now she's withdrawn, very still, and almost closing her eyes to doze off. Not the usual puffed up penguin stance that I've seen with an egg bound bird. She did lay a watery poop in front of me, though it wasn't that bad. It's warm out today, but not unpleasantly so.

I picked her up, crop was fine. She didn't feel feverish. Had enough fight to want to get down. Photo attached.

Any thoughts? Should I give her some calcium citrate just in case? Or leave her be to work it out?

 

[thecatumbrella]

She's already starting to move about a bit more. Came out to wander with the flock, perch, and preen with the group. But she's still too tired to torment Willow (the bird below her, who never escapes a peck), or flee from her tormenter.

I'm going to leave her be while they huddle in their sandbox together, then get some calcium in her after I eat lunch.

Any other thoughts are still very much appreciated. I love my girl and want her to be okay.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she a mille fleur d’uccle? She looks very poofy. Could she have coccidiosis? Symptoms include lethargy, weakness, not eating, runny poops, and standing hunched and puffed up. Corid is the treatment in the water. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid or 1.5 tsp of the powder Corid, per gallon of water for 5 days. What do you feed?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Is she a mille fleur d’uccle? She looks very poofy. Could she have coccidiosis? Symptoms include lethargy, weakness, not eating, runny poops, and standing hunched and puffed up. Corid is the treatment in the water. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid or 1.5 tsp of the powder Corid, per gallon of water for 5 days. What do you feed?

She's a calico cochin bantam. I feed 20% all-flock crumble + pellets. Very rarely give treats. They get sprouts twice a week in the evening.

Didn't even have coccidiosis on my radar (so good thinking!), but when I went back out, she'd made a miraculous recovery. Scarfed down the mash I made her (laced with calcium citrate), so maybe it was just an egg thing? Hasn't popped anything out yet.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes a cochin would look more round than a d’ccle. Glad that she is feeling better. Calcium citrate 300 mg with d3 can be given for egg binding symptoms. Hopefully, she will lay an egg.