Pottage Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I have a little hen that was implanted 3 weeks ago as she was starting to have real problems passing softies and they were making her miserable for days at a time. She is mid moult at the moment and is covered in new, purple quills which I imagine must be quite uncomfy for her. She isn't really eating much as a result of the implant and has lost weight, so we have been bringing her in twice a day and feeding her a handful of tinned corn to try and keep her weight up. Our vet has also prescribed a low dose of prednisolone, a steroid, to get her appetite going again. Anyway, we have noticed over the last couple of days that when she is in the house on the counter having her corn when she walks around after every couple of steps she squats down, into a seated position before she gets up and carries on where she was going normally before squatting again a couple of steps later. It’s kind of like she is bobbing to get away from something above her. They all do this in the garden from time to time if we are feeding them treats and try and get a sneaky stroke in, but when Nugget has been doing this we are not anywhere near her. It’s odd, has anyone seen anything like this before? I’ll try and take a video this evening if anyone thinks that will help? She is off lay now so I am fairly sure she doesn’t have anything stuck inside her, the softies were always passed whole so I don’t think she has any sort of infection from anything being left behind in that respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Sounds like she is squatting in the ordinary way. Her implant can't be working properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pottage Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 She never did this when she was laying though, not when she was walking about. It really is like two steps, sit, get up, two steps, sit, get up and repeat! She was an every day egger before the implant and she's not laid anything since a week after the implant when it kicked it so I'm reasonably sure the implant *is* working. The squatting that she does is more of a duck than the squat they do when they want you to, erm, do the rudies with them! Her wings don't come out/down like when they do the mating squat thing, it really is like she's trying to duck under something above her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Can't say anything helpful I'm afraid Pottage. I haven't a clue why she is doing that? Perhaps it is a neurological side effect of the treatment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'd take her back to the vet so that she can be thoroughly examined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pottage Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Little weirdo was fine last night and this morning I'm sure they all go to bed and chat about new and more interesting ways they can stress the hell out of Mum and Dad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
