4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[JM]

Hi - When I went down to see the chooks this morning, Bunty was roosting with Daphne on the perch in the run. However, Daphne came to say hello, but Bunty stayed there looking quite down hunched and eyes closed. When I opened the nest box, there was a softie (or maybe 2 as there was a sort of membrane as well as a broken egg) in her position (they sleep in the nest box and she was in that position last night.)

 

She was OK last evening (beating the others to raspberries!) , but when I left her this morning, she was still very still and looking sorry for herself.

 

Do you think it is the softy that has made her feel poorly? If she's the same this evening, do you think I should take her to the vets?

 

Thanks

 

Jill

[moochoo]

Softies do make them feel really sorry for themselves. In my experience it usually takes about 24 hours until they're back in good form.

If they're young hens this is quite common as their laying tackle takes a while to settle to making hard eggs.

Just make sure she has plenty of grit. My girls have some mixed into mashed potatoes or porridge a couple of times a week to ensure they eat enough.

If there is no improvement by tomorrow it's well worth seeking further advice.

[-sarahjayne]

Another idea is try some 'landscaping' with the mixed grit - this is what I did and they love to peck about in it and consume lots of grit. There was just a bald patch of dry mud in their enclosed bit of the garden all along the back, so i filled the gap with grit and it actually looks pretty good you could also do this on flowerbeds if they like to go on there?

I also have a dish inside the WIR of grit, not sure they touch it but its there.

Also I make sure it goes in all the treats that they get (which is a fair few )

[chelsea]

Softies do make a hen appear very unwell, hunched and almost in a trance/daze. Hopefully she will be ok this evening.

 

If you havent done so already I would also recommend a course of wormer and a quick once over for lice on the hen, as hunching/looking miserable is also a symptom of lice & worms

[JM]

Thanks everyone.

 

When I left for work at 7am, she was looking sorry for herself, but OH checked on them about 9.30, and she was back to normal!! (and there I was worrying about her!!) She has her normal chickeny self ever since - and she's just laid a totally normal egg.