JanTheDiver Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 About three weeks ago we got three new girls, two are absolutely fine but Ethel doesn't seem quite right, I think she might just be feeling cold. She eats, drinks, baths and poos as normal but when it is cold she sits hunched up,her tail down and sleeps a lot. Now normally I would say she is not well but apart from this she seems fine in herself. All the other chickens I have had don't seem to be affected by the cold much, so can some of them feel it more than others like we do? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suebee Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Mine can seem a bit miserable when it's cold. My last lot (4 hybrids) were split into two camps. Two hated the cold, and sat looking miserable on a cold morning, when I let them out of their coop. The other two would go out digging in the snow without a care for the weather. I used to hang veg/pecker blocks up to get them moving, which - like it would for us - warmed them up and took their minds off the cold. If your girl seems perfecty ok when the weather's mild, then it could be that she's sulking because it's cold. You could try getting her active, with dangling food, or a healthy scratch feed of bits of veg (I cut up broccoli and scatter it.) I would have thought you'd see a pattern which fits the weather, if it is the cold that's making her behave this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Previously, Smokie got like that. ended up going to the vet. I think she just got colder and colder over time Lily is exactly as you describe. As we have 2 ('elderly' 4YO & 6YO) lone chickens, when it is really cold over night (below freezing), we put each in a cat box and put in the unheated utility room over night. Then they seem OK in the day H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Sounds like she's fed up with this continued cold weather. Two or three of our girls do the same thing, whilst the rest potter about as usual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeloo Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I have a friend who has a hen like that. That bird is just less hardy than the others! We live in Florida so it's not freezing cold, but she says even the slightest chill makes her hen sit and shiver. She also lays very rarely. They started bringing her into the house at night and letting her sleep in a kennel in the corner. Now she comes to the door expecting it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Thanks all for your comments, you have put my mind at rest; she is still young (not laying yet) so she may just be feeling the cold I love that on this forum you can ask any question and get great feedback Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
