Young pullet sick? Or just sleeping a lot?

[makarr]

I am brand new to chicken ownership (four days to be exact) and the 2 month old Black Australorp I brought home is very lethargic. She's eating, her droppings have a significant white film but no blood and today she's just standing around, fluffed up like she's cold (it is kind of windy today but 70 degrees out) and is hardly able to keep herself awake. She reacts when I get close to her and her anatomy seems normal but I'm really not sure I'm checking her correctly. Any advice is appreciated for this newbie.

 

[Maggie C]

First of all

Sorry your girl isn't feeling well. Is this new behavior, or has she acted this way all the time since you brought her home? Is she the only one you have? Are there any other "symptoms"? All the information you can provide will help others give you advice. I hope she is okay.

 

[makarr]

Thank you, Maggie. She's the youngest (by a month) of three (the other two are a Barred Rock and a RIR) and she's definitely had the lowest energy of the three. I haven't noticed obvious bullying but, again, I have no reference for normal. I isolated her for a little bit today but she seemed so stressed out by it, I didn't know if I was helping or harming. Could she be depressed because of the transition?

She seemed timid on Saturday when I brought them home but I expected some stress that day, seemed fine on Sunday - not as active as the others but she was pecking and scratching in the yard. Monday, I noticed she was sleeping a lot but it was the middle of the day and she was moving between sun-spots so I thought maybe I just caught her during nap time. Yesterday she seemed pretty "normal" but today she's been sleeping all day with a couple of breaks to eat and drink some.

The only other symptom is chirping. She's chirping pretty much constantly - a series of three little chirps, inhale, three chirps again.

 

[kpardey]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anything ever came of your girl sleeping all day? I hope she turned out to be okay and just be going through a little phase.

One of mine is sleeping pretty much continuously all day today with no other symptoms I've noticed but I'm concerned - it is very unlike her.

 

[makarr]

She was sick with coccidiosis. I treated her with Sulmet and she pulled through!

I hope your girl's just catching up on her beauty sleep.