Chicken just standing around

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Scrambled
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Chicken just standing around

Post by Scrambled »

We've collected our two hens this morning after a fortnight at a chicken holiday boarding place.

One of them is definitely not herself - symptoms are:-

Just standing in one place
Slower reactions than usual and easier than normal to pick up (we normally have a devil of a job catching this one)
Keeps closing her eyes
Doesn't look 'with-it'
Crop feels empty
Clear-ish white droppings without any substance
Can't feel or see any indication of being egg-bound
No interest so far in drinking or eating - except for a couple of pieces of tomato (but probably just interested because of the colour?) and a half-hearted attempt at a few pieces of corn
Crop is looking great - vibrant, red and healthy appearance

Wondering if it could be the start of a moult, because when we were handling her to have a good look, she flapped a bit and loads of small feathers came out - but am really concerned about the empty crop - and the clear droppings, which I'm thinking point to not having eaten for a while, given the empty crop. Incidentally, the droppings are in one neat deposit - eg, not a drip, drip.

I've had both hens out free-ranging, but have put them back in the run now. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. I'm unsure whether to isolate her somewhere warm and quiet. We're going to try to tempt her with some warm mash. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be grateful. I've phoned the holiday place and left a message asking them to ring me.

Scrambled
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by Scrambled »

Perhaps I should add that she is 18 months old - a Colombian Black Tail.
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kitla
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by kitla »

sounds a bit worrying. Poops are often bright green when they haven't eaten enough,
has she laid an egg since coming home? does she feel a bit too hot? - feel under
her wings & tummy, (if she has a temperature she may have an infection)
They are also more liable to catch viruses off the wildbirds when they're stressed.
Hopefully its just the start of her moult like you say, it can sometimes make them
feel pretty ill, perhaps you could tempt her with a piece of grape or a few mealworms, lets hope she perks up tomorrow.
It will help to know what the boarders say, what her eggs have been like & how well
she's been eating.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Scrambled
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by Scrambled »

Hi Kitla - no temperature (we had a good feel all over earlier) but, bizarrely, she seems to be completely back on form and has been for the last couple of hours. She's back to her normal self and has been stuffing her face with food and water - her crop is looking good, and we'll have a feel of that shortly. I've just been out to them and she's raced across the run to have a look at me, as she usually does.

I don't understand it - on one hand, I wonder whether the car journey stressed her and was the reason for the looking dazed and bewildered - but then she's travelled by car before without this happening and doesn't tie in with an empty crop and the dodgy droppings.

The boarders have not come back to me (despite me outlining my concerns in the message I left...and yes, I definitely left my contact number) which is disappointing to say the least, so I don't know how egg production etc was whilst we were away. I asked this morning how the hens had been and the guy said they'd been perfect.

Will keep a close eye on her but, fingers crossed, she's seemingly recovered. >fi<
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KarenE
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by KarenE »

Hi Scrambled

So glad to hear she's back to normal now! Perhaps you're right and it was the stress of the move back - perhaps she's realised she's back home again and can relax )t'

Alternatively - could it have been a softie?

I'm sure it's just the upheaval of the move. Keep an eye on her for the next day or so just to make sure she stays okay
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Grannyof4
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by Grannyof4 »

Keep fingers crossed it was stress. Can you not get someone local to look after them in your own home.
Scrambled
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by Scrambled »

Grannyof4 wrote:Keep fingers crossed it was stress. Can you not get someone local to look after them in your own home.


She seems to be back on top form, thankfully.

Ironically, the place we took the hens to this time is very local - about 15 mins drive away - whereas previously, we've taken them to the place we bought them from which is about 30 mins drive away and not had any problems at all. Can't fathom it at all.
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kitla
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Re: Chicken just standing around

Post by kitla »

Perhaps there was something there that scared her - barking dog or something.
Or she might have eaten something bad. I guess you'll never know, I'm glad she's
ok now though.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant

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