Hello everyone. I am hoping that some of you might have advice for me. I have a black australorp that is about 18 months old and when I opened up the coop to let the chickens out for food and water this morning she just stayed on the roost. Her eyes kind of look like she was sleepy with these long blinks and she was just puffed up. I pulled her out and she would not eat or drink, even when I offered scratch grains. She just stood off and did nothing. She was really active yesterday but did not lay an egg.
We had our first chicken die a few weeks ago. That was a black sex link and when I went out one morning she was just laying on the floor of the coop. I hope that it is nothing contagious, but I can't be sure.
I brought the australorp into the house and gave her a warm bath and put her in a small animal carrier with some water. She seemed to enjoy the bath but has still not drank. I massaged her abdomen and tried to feel her crop. I am not really sure exactly where I should be feeling and exactly what I should be feeling for.
Any help would be appreciated. I think if we lose another chicken so soon my wife might just give up on the idea of having them because they are her pets and she gets extremely upset when anything happens to them.
Thanks in advance for the assistance.
Shaun
We had our first chicken die a few weeks ago. That was a black sex link and when I went out one morning she was just laying on the floor of the coop. I hope that it is nothing contagious, but I can't be sure.
I brought the australorp into the house and gave her a warm bath and put her in a small animal carrier with some water. She seemed to enjoy the bath but has still not drank. I massaged her abdomen and tried to feel her crop. I am not really sure exactly where I should be feeling and exactly what I should be feeling for.
Any help would be appreciated. I think if we lose another chicken so soon my wife might just give up on the idea of having them because they are her pets and she gets extremely upset when anything happens to them.
Thanks in advance for the assistance.
Shaun