Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[MarySue]

Let the big girls and the babies out today while moving and cleaning coops, they were so happy to be free...but oohhh the dirty looks when I put them away.

They look very happy to be taking a bath.

 

[theceltichorse]

I'm brand new to chickens. My two incubator hatched babies are a week old today. They now make a HUGE raucous when I go to bed and shut off all the lights. I literally had to go back downstairs tonight and softly talk to them until they quieted down and went under the heat plate. Now they are as quiet as mice! My roommate probably hates me... LOL Boy, am I totally in love with these two!

 

[JulesChicks]

This chicken has never been very tame. I got her as a started to pull it. So just the fact that she lets me carry her and she just stands there when I take her picture proves something.

I'm no expert but here are my suggestions based on my experience and what I would do in your case:

The fact that she is half the weight of your others tells me it's more than just the molting. I would suspect a parasite and perhaps coccidiosis. I had two nearly POL pullets last year go like this - within 3 days they went downhill. Until they were acting funny (lethargic, letting me pick them up, etc) I hadn't noticed how much weight they had lost. I called the breeder I bought them from as chicks and he suggested coccidiosis which I hadn't thought of. He said in older birds (meaning not chicks) it can fly under the radar without any obvious signs in the droppings and then by the time you notice they are pretty far gone. The damage the cocci does to the intestinal tract does not allow the bird to absorb nutrients, thus the loss of weight and eventually they are too weak to get up to the roost.
If you have some Corid or the other (can't remember name at moment for coccidiosis treatment) I would do that as I don't think it would hurt her. Along with the treatment I would feed her scrambled eggs and raw grass fed beef if you have it, as she needs the readily available protein (eggs would be easier to digest). I would agree that she doesn't have the reserves to keep herself warm and get better on her own in these temps - but it can also be hard on them to go from cold to warm to cold so be mindful of that- I would keep her in a garage that is warmer than outside but not as warm as the house, in a little kennel. These treatments won't hurt her and can only help and are what I would start with if she were my own. Also, you could also free feed her coconut oil - it's antibacterial and antifungal and will give her good fats for energy. This is a natural remedy for sour crop and vent gleet but could also help in this case.

Good luck with your girl!

 

[junebuggena]

Egg production is finally picking back up. The hens that were the first to molt have all started laying again and the May pullets have all started laying. I've finally got eggs to spare.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Egg production is finally picking back up. The hens that were the first to molt have all started laying again and the May pullets have all started laying. I've finally got eggs to spare.

mine seems to be picking up a bit 13 and 14 the norm again..
I do have 18 hens so hard to figure who is slacking just have not
had as many brown as I should as I have more than blue or green

 

[pennyJo1960]

we have many colored towels here

 

[junebuggena]

mine seems to be picking up a bit 13 and 14 the norm again..
I do have 18 hens so hard to figure who is slacking just have not
had as many brown as I should as I have more than blue or green

Same here. The Barred Rocks are the last to molt, so they are usually the last to get back into laying. The Australorp girls molted in August/September and are just starting back up.

 

[Hinotori]

What do you call guards working outside a Samsung shop? Guardians of the Galaxy

 

[pennyJo1960]

Way I look at it this hatch or suppose to hatch is driving me to drink
okay just gatorade

but dog gone has me befuddled... went great first two times this time
I am stumped. They where all fresh eggs didn't surprise one was not fertile
granted two brown you see clear lots of veining.. green is not so easy to see
even taking James in he looks for me

 

[junebuggena]

6 Bald Eagles! All circling low over the flock. Got the chicks shut in their coop.