[mich71]

hi, my 5  one year old Black Rocks were out in the field on sunday when the heavens opened and 4 came running back for shelter,an hour later and Mrs T still wasnt back so i went to look for her thinking she had taken shelter but found her sitting in the rain soaked. She did not move or restle as i picked her up but i noticed her underside was bare and a bit red. Put here back down but she just lay there. Dryed here of and put her in the coop but she just lay on the floor and was still there this morning. She looks alert and eat from my hand and drank but if i pick her up she makes no effort to stand. Put her in a cardboard at the back of the coop, came home tonight she hadent moved but had layed a egg. picked her up and put her in the long grass which she started to eat. gave here more food and water and left here for 2 hours but was still sitting there. she still looks bright and alert, its like she has lost the power to here legs but dosnt seem to be in pain. Any ideas please

[Nails]

Have you wormed her? Have you checked her for mite?

[hillfooter]

hi, my 5  one year old Black Rocks were out in the field on sunday when the heavens opened and 4 came running back for shelter,an hour later and Mrs T still wasnt back so i went to look for her thinking she had taken shelter but found her sitting in the rain soaked. She did not move or restle as i picked her up but i noticed her underside was bare and a bit red. Put here back down but she just lay there. Dryed here of and put her in the coop but she just lay on the floor and was still there this morning. She looks alert and eat from my hand and drank but if i pick her up she makes no effort to stand. Put her in a cardboard at the back of the coop, came home tonight she hadent moved but had layed a egg. picked her up and put her in the long grass which she started to eat. gave here more food and water and left here for 2 hours but was still sitting there. she still looks bright and alert, its like she has lost the power to here legs but dosnt seem to be in pain. Any ideas please

Usually when a hen is broody she will fluff up her feathers and complain loudly and often aim a half hearted peck if disturbed.  When you lift her she often will flop straight down and if you force her off her nest she will cluck loudly and appear aggitated.  If this is how she is behaving it's very likely she is broody and the egg she was sitting on wasn't hers.  A sitting broody attracts the others to lay in the same nest.

HF

[mich71]

Hi, no i havent wormed her, checked for mite seem free, no complaints when i pick her up this morning, still seem alert otherwise

[Jeanette]

If she is brood she will fluff up and be very angry when you try to move her. From what you say i dont think she is broody.
Have you checked her comb is it nice and red or gone pale.
Have you checked for red mite as they feed of the chickens and it can make them ill.
When you put your hand under her wing is it the same temperture as the other chickens.
If she has just layed she may have had a bit of a problem laying this can take it out of them. Hope some of this helps and that she is back to normal soon.

[mich71]

her comb is still red, and checked for mites there doesnot seem to be any.she is still eating and drinking normal and toileting normal. she laid an egg yesterday but not today.

[mich71]

Still no change, under wing temp same as others. Eat her supper with no complaints when i lifted her up, My son thinks he seen her running about with a frog dangling from her beak on sunday morning, do you think that might have anything to do with it?

[hillfooter]

I doubt the frog is an issue.

The bare breast is usually a sign she is broody as they pluck their own feathers to better heat the eggs close to their skin.  If there are no other signs of illness like sneezing , nasal discharges or not eating and drinking or any sign of injury I still think this bird could be broody though the absence of typical annoyance and growling and puffing up her feathers is odd if she's broody.  Also they stop laying once broody.

You can break broodiness by putting her in a dog cage suspended off the ground so she is cooled by air circulation and it's not comfortable for her to sit.  Make sure she is shaded and has water and food in reach and a day or two of confinement in these conditions should break the broodiness.

How are the other chx reacting to her?  Do you know another more experienced keeper who may be able to give you a first hand opinion?  I doubt she's ill if she's showing no signs of depression and eating and drinking and still laying but if you are in doubt or worried you can always take her to a vet.

HF

[mich71]

just an update to say she is still the same apart from no egg today. all sign appart from her puffing up and annoyance when moved look like she is broody. The thing wich seems odd is she  has not stood up since sunday even when i take her out and put her in the long grass, she just eats the grass but dosent even try to get up. Thanks everyone for there advice

[themagicaltoad1]

One of my girls behaves like this when she starts to go broody, it doesn't matter where you plonk her she just sits there. The plumping up and aggression doesn't come on until she's well established in her broodiness. I give her a bit of encouragement to get moving by putting a hand under her bum and giving her a gentle shove, it often takes a few goes before she gets the hint and remembers she has legs.

[Jeanette]

It sounds like she is broody.