Hello! I'm Molly, brand new mama to 4 lovely 6 week-old chicks: 2 buff orps named Pot Pie and Chick Pea, a red sex link named Gertie, and a black sex link named Pork Chop. Three of the four are doing great, but I'm a little bit worried about Gertie. Every day after work, I take the girls out to the yard so they can get some fresh air and scratch around in the grass for awhile (this is their last week inside before their coop is finished and they move outdoors). After about 10 minutes, Gertie will suddenly tip over to one side and just lay there. It's almost like she weakens on one side and can't stand up anymore. Her leg and wing both droop and down she goes. She keeps her head up and looks around while she's laying there, but sometimes she pants as if she's too hot. This happens both in the sun and in the shade, which there's plenty of in my yard. She'll lay there for a minute or two, then hop back up and go right back to normal. A few minutes later, she'll do it again. This only happens when we're outside; she never does it when she's in the house. Her appetite is normal, her poo is normal, and she drinks plenty of water. Any idea what's causing this? I was hoping she would outgrow it but it seems to be happening more frequently. Should I be concerned, or should I chalk it up to quirky chicken behavior since everything else seems to be okay? Any input would be greatly appreciated. This is my first flock, and despite all of the research I've done, I still feel like I have no clue what I'm doing or what I should look out for. Thanks so much!
