I have a pullet who seems to be having issues and I can't figure out what is ailing her... I'm REALLY hoping someone can help me!
If it helps, I used the questions from the "sticky". I answered the best I could. Hopefully someone can give advice. If anything more is needed, please let me know. I don't want to lose my favorite pullet.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
She is a pullet (about 10 months old); A hatchery bred Bantam Easter Egger, and SUPER THIN
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She eats, drinks and moves around the pen fine, but I haven't seen her fly (or even jump high) for months now. She's been sleeping in the nest instead of on the roost for maybe a couple weeks now. I don't think she's laid eggs in possibly months now. She seems to have lost the "flight" instinct when there is "danger" - even if all of my other birds are flying around and freaking out. She just runs to the corner of the pen - if she even reacts at all. She has a very droopy appearance - she holds her wings and tail low, but she holds her head up if she thinks I have food (which is any time I'm in the pen). I don't see her using her wings much. She doesn't flap around like the others. She is SUPER thin. Almost downright bony.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Please see above...
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
NONE of the other birds have these symptoms. All of my other pullets and my roos (all in the same pen, or adjacent pen) are fat, fluffy, happy and flightly - per normal. None show droopy symptoms or grounded tendencies.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
I have looked all over her and she doesn't seem to have any cuts, bruises, abrasions, broken bones, etc. No bugs, mites, fleas, ticks... Her eyes are clear, bright and alert. Her beak is a little long, but she eats fine. Her feathers are a little ratty, but I think that's mostly because before she turned ill, she was the roo's favorite and her feathers still haven't come completely in. I may be wrong, though; it's been a while since I the last time I saw him go for her.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I honestly don't know of ANYTHING that might have caused this.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She gets poultry pellets (layer feed) every day along with plain old water - same as all the other birds. Since she's so skinny and she LOVES to eat grass and scraps, I've been giving all of my birds treats on an almost regular basis. (Only treats on the list here on BYC) I've been trying to fatten her back up. She eats EVERYTHING I give her and eats and drinks just as much as the other girls. She's always the first to drink out of the waterers when I fill them up (she will drink out of each one as I fill them) and is always the first to get to the food dish and scraps. She eats and drinks her fill every time.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
It seems to look normal, though usually small... I don't think it's anything different from the other girls, though.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
About a month ago (I think near the end of April), I thought her droopy appearance and general stand-offishness (<-- that stopped a while ago) was because of worms, so I wormed my entire flock. The got two doses of Safe-Guard (Fenbendazole) Equine wormer (they didn't have goat wormer). It was the paste. It didn't seem to hurt any of my flock, and actually, after the "treatment", my pullet did seem a little happier and has picked up her personality again.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to treat this myself, if I can. The only problem is, I don't have a way to sequester her from the group, nor can I bring her inside. I would rather not have to do surgery.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I don't have a picture, but maybe this description will help: All of my other birds feel like fat cornish hens before getting cooked, my sick? pullet is like a cornish hen after dinner - thoroughly picked over.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
My birds live in a box style coop, with front doors. There are two pop doors that don't close. It is fairly large (though not walk in). It gets ventilation from the doors, so no condensation, but it can get warm. The bedding is shavings from my woodworking and are the same style shavings I have been using since the day I got them.
If it helps, I used the questions from the "sticky". I answered the best I could. Hopefully someone can give advice. If anything more is needed, please let me know. I don't want to lose my favorite pullet.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
She is a pullet (about 10 months old); A hatchery bred Bantam Easter Egger, and SUPER THIN
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She eats, drinks and moves around the pen fine, but I haven't seen her fly (or even jump high) for months now. She's been sleeping in the nest instead of on the roost for maybe a couple weeks now. I don't think she's laid eggs in possibly months now. She seems to have lost the "flight" instinct when there is "danger" - even if all of my other birds are flying around and freaking out. She just runs to the corner of the pen - if she even reacts at all. She has a very droopy appearance - she holds her wings and tail low, but she holds her head up if she thinks I have food (which is any time I'm in the pen). I don't see her using her wings much. She doesn't flap around like the others. She is SUPER thin. Almost downright bony.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Please see above...
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
NONE of the other birds have these symptoms. All of my other pullets and my roos (all in the same pen, or adjacent pen) are fat, fluffy, happy and flightly - per normal. None show droopy symptoms or grounded tendencies.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
I have looked all over her and she doesn't seem to have any cuts, bruises, abrasions, broken bones, etc. No bugs, mites, fleas, ticks... Her eyes are clear, bright and alert. Her beak is a little long, but she eats fine. Her feathers are a little ratty, but I think that's mostly because before she turned ill, she was the roo's favorite and her feathers still haven't come completely in. I may be wrong, though; it's been a while since I the last time I saw him go for her.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I honestly don't know of ANYTHING that might have caused this.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She gets poultry pellets (layer feed) every day along with plain old water - same as all the other birds. Since she's so skinny and she LOVES to eat grass and scraps, I've been giving all of my birds treats on an almost regular basis. (Only treats on the list here on BYC) I've been trying to fatten her back up. She eats EVERYTHING I give her and eats and drinks just as much as the other girls. She's always the first to drink out of the waterers when I fill them up (she will drink out of each one as I fill them) and is always the first to get to the food dish and scraps. She eats and drinks her fill every time.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
It seems to look normal, though usually small... I don't think it's anything different from the other girls, though.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
About a month ago (I think near the end of April), I thought her droopy appearance and general stand-offishness (<-- that stopped a while ago) was because of worms, so I wormed my entire flock. The got two doses of Safe-Guard (Fenbendazole) Equine wormer (they didn't have goat wormer). It was the paste. It didn't seem to hurt any of my flock, and actually, after the "treatment", my pullet did seem a little happier and has picked up her personality again.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to treat this myself, if I can. The only problem is, I don't have a way to sequester her from the group, nor can I bring her inside. I would rather not have to do surgery.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I don't have a picture, but maybe this description will help: All of my other birds feel like fat cornish hens before getting cooked, my sick? pullet is like a cornish hen after dinner - thoroughly picked over.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
My birds live in a box style coop, with front doors. There are two pop doors that don't close. It is fairly large (though not walk in). It gets ventilation from the doors, so no condensation, but it can get warm. The bedding is shavings from my woodworking and are the same style shavings I have been using since the day I got them.
Last edited:
