Very Sleepy Chicken

[Jill-0]

Hi, I’m new to chickens, I’ve got 4 black Australorps, one of which looks like she’s about ready to start laying soon, her name is Bang Bang. Bang Bang has been sleeping a lot more than usual, her sisters all woke up this morning, but she stayed asleep on the roost, and hasn’t gotten up yet. Is this normal behavior for a hen when she’s about to start laying, or should I be worried? It’s only the second day of this, she looks healthy, she’s plump, feathers are shiny, comb and wattles are still brightly colored. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

How old? What's their diet?
No, it's not normal for a hen to be this lethargic.

 

[Jill-0]

How old? What's their diet?
No, it's not normal for a hen to be this lethargic.

About 19 weeks old, they free range in the yard mostly, I give them mealworms and soldier fly larva mixed with seeds to treat, and they eat regular chicken feed on occasion. I bought an electrolyte mix for their water, not sure if this will help. All of my other girls are fine, so it’s hard to think she would’ve gotten into anything that would make her sick, but then again, it’s only been a couple of days. They DID however escape into the neighbors yard on Saturday, maybe she got into something over there.

 

[nuthatched]

About 19 weeks old, they free range in the yard mostly, I give them mealworms and soldier fly larva mixed with seeds to treat, and they eat regular chicken feed on occasion. I bought an electrolyte mix for their water, not sure if this will help. All of my other girls are fine, so it’s hard to think she would’ve gotten into anything that would make her sick, but then again, it’s only been a couple of days. They DID however escape into the neighbors yard on Saturday, maybe she got into something over there.

They do need to eat more real feed and less scavenged stuff and treats. Meal worms and seed mix are not good for them. She desperately needs steady nutrition and the calcium for laying, she may be getting ready to lay but suffering from deficiency.

 

[Jill-0]

I have given them eggshells for calcium, their feed is always full, and the seeds are in a chicken treat mix, which I use exactly as it should be, everyone is a healthy weight, everyone has bright shiny feathers, bright shiny eyes, their combs are upright, not wilting, and brightly colored, not pale, and they always have access to water. Bang Bang is the only sleepy chicken.