Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[iandjsmum]

Hi I'd appreciate any advice please. My pekin , who is about 1 and a half, has suddenly stopped laying, has the palest comb I've ever seen and just seems generally 'quiet'. She eats a little and drinks but seems to be moving around more slowly. Also i saw her lying on the lawn this afternoon with her wings spread out rather strangely. I will worm her etc. tomorrow but just wondered if anyone had any idea what was wrong? Thanks.

[Egluntyne]

Worms would be my first guess. Why wait till tomorrow?

[Olly]

It does sound as if she's not feeling quite right - a chicken that isn't showing much interest in things is usually feeling a bit off-colour. Worming is a good plan, but I would keep an eye to make sure she's eating and drinking. Has she laid recently?

[Chucky Mama]

How old is she, when did she last lay, has she been laying any softies recently. I would give her a thorough examination paying particular attention to her vent and check for any swelling of her abdomen or crop.

[iandjsmum]

Oh dear sad news. Cheryl didn't come out of the coop this morning and I when I looked in she was just a bundle of feathers. By 10am this morning she had passed away. It really helped to read other posts on this forum but I hadn't realised how quickly a chicken could go down hill. I can't believe she even had the strength to peck me yesterday when I picked her up. Felt really sad but glad it was quick. Thanks for the help. The others seemed to know something was wrong and kept away from the coop.

[Egluntyne]

Oh, that is a shame,. Sorry to hear it.

[Olly]

Sorry to hear that. I doubt if there's anything you could have done. By the time they are looking pale and quiet, they are often already quite ill but it's very difficult to spot anything is wrong before then; just one of those things.

[jlegg]

Very sorry to hear about your chicken ,the same has happened to one of ours this morning, though she was moulting and the new feather were growing back everywhere I put it down to that. She did not want to eat yesterday and stayed in the Coop, went out this morning and she was dead, my son found her, gone to school rather upset.

Strange we have lost all three of our commercial hybrids, though we use all the stuff for mites and worm them etc, the first one was always a small chicken never that robust so wernt surprised, the next one at the beginning of the year went from being healthy to dead in a matter of a couple of days, and this one a bit longer but we did think it was the molt though. same pale comb and quiet.

Would love to know what caused it though. No coughing or snezzing or anything, could they have eaten something, we do have all kinds of mushroom /toadstoals around in our garden and it does make me wonder now.....

[iandjsmum]

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news and it does sound very similar indeed. I felt terrible all day after my hen passed away ( I was more upset than the children although mine didn't see her so I feel for you and your son) and wondered what I had done 'wrong'. I've since wormed and cleaned and loused etc all the others but to be honest they have always looked very well, you just feel you've got to do something to stop it happening again. I would agree with others now that there was probably nothing I could have done and that perhaps some hens just don't live for very long. Thinking of you today.