Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ewan154]

Hi,

 

Have a Black Rock chicken that is standing about with her chest puffed out and her eyed closed. When I went up to give the chickens their corn she did come for the food.

 

 

 

When I tried to catch her she ran away and would not let me catch her. When I did manage to catch her, her underneath is totally bald. She was a red mark on her chest.

 

 

 

I noticed yesterday and today that she was standing on one leg with her eyes closed. The other leg was shaking a little. She was also sitting in the nest box and never laid anything.

[Beantree]

You don't say how old she is Ewan154, but clearly she isn't well. Could be lots of things. Is her comb pink or red? Is her abdomen swollen and hot? The red chest may be an internal infection and it may be lice. Is the coop free of red mite. Is she egg bound with a pulsing vent and frequent trips to the nest box? What are her poos like? Is her crop full and firm or empty or squishy?

 

Standing on one leg indicates she is cold for whatever reason. Perhaps a trip to the vet is in order?

[Ewan154]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Her comb is red expect for a wee bit at the top which his purple. I let her out on the grass and she was back to her out self.

 

she is about 3-4 year old.

[Egluntyne]

Is this the same chicken that you mention here?

[Ewan154]

Hi,

No.

[Daphne]

Ewan, as Beantree says there could be any number of things wrong with her, added to which she is a reasonable age. A purpling comb can indicate heart problems or sometimes frostbite if its at the tips and threatening to go black. A bald undercarriage can indicate broodiness (the birds pluck their feathers out) but of course she should also be sitting in the nest box, spread out like a pancake - I don't suppose this is what you meant by a puffed up chest? Baldness also comes from lice/mites - has she been treated recently and what is your normal regime?

 

Unless you can give us a bit more detail I don't think we can help productively, all we are doing is throwing endless possibilities at you. Or is she back to normal now in any case?

[Ewan154]

Hi,

Thanks for reply. she has picked up today. I went up with some corn and she cam running.

 

I have not done the redmite treated recently this year. Will be doing it very sure.

[Daphne]

Well that's good news I'd also treat the birds themselves as a preventative against the lice/mites which live on them, as well as the red mite which lives in the house before feasting on our precious birds