Chicken unwell :( any ideas please
morning all,
just hoping someone may be able to help me; one of our blackrocks hasn't been herself over the past few days, she doesn't seem to come out of the coop at all, even in the mornings for food and water. When i lifted her up this morning to have a better look at her I discovered that her breast is missing all its feathers?! I put her down and she appears to shake somewhat and her hair stands on end!! Quite worried about her, and I fear whatever she may have may affect the other chickens. Also there is a definite drop in egg production with the ladies in general.
Anyone help??
just hoping someone may be able to help me; one of our blackrocks hasn't been herself over the past few days, she doesn't seem to come out of the coop at all, even in the mornings for food and water. When i lifted her up this morning to have a better look at her I discovered that her breast is missing all its feathers?! I put her down and she appears to shake somewhat and her hair stands on end!! Quite worried about her, and I fear whatever she may have may affect the other chickens. Also there is a definite drop in egg production with the ladies in general.
Anyone help??
Comments
is there a chance your hen may be broody ? This is a common sign.. not coming out, drop in egg production ( none when broody) and pulling out breast feathers to line the nest.
Does she collect the eggs and put them under her ? You could try giving her some eggs and if she puffs up and rolls them under her then she will be broody.
If you do not want her to hatch eggs then you will neeed to bring her out several times a day until she gets "out" of her broodiness.
If she can hatch eggs then she will have to be put separate from the others and until she gets into the habit you may have to lift her off a couple of times a day for her to poo, eat and drink.
Hope this is of some help to you.
Barley.
Have been watching her over the past few days now, and what you're saying is making a lot of sense. She is gathering all the other egg and is definetely trying to keep them all warm, poor confused girl. She's quite determined to stay in the coop though, she's back in the coop within minutes of been taken out! Keeping us on our toes anyway!
Thanks again, you've really settled our minds
One other thing, now that her chest is bare, i fear that she'll probably be at risk of infection, or colds. do you think it'll take long before she'll settle down, i'm hoping not, i'd like her to be nicely comfortable before winter starts coming in