Normal behavior in Autumn when it is getting colder and dark

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Fri May 30, 2014 10:04 am

Hello Everyone! Me again...
So I have only owned chickens since December so I do ask a lot of questions in here...
My two bantam silver Sussex have stopped laying for about a month, which I understand is normal. But the last week or so I am noticing how lethargic and antisocial they are getting. For example, usually each morning they I let them out of their henhouse and the come out and eat their warm porridge - but this week they have refused to leave it, and when I left the gate open for garden time, neither bothered coming out.
This morning I left it until almost 8am to let them out as it was a bit dark this morning, and again neither would leave the wooden house. I gave them a bit of a push and my dominant girl was sitting on the fake egg and seemed a bit broody but went for a run and scratch around the pen -- but my quieter girl kind of looked completely dozy, rolled on to one side, flopped down the ramp and just laid here. I picked her and she is rather light but looks quite normal other wise. I popped her down near the water and she had a bit of a drink and a few pecks of grain I laid in front of her. When I checked on her again they were both back in the house.
Is this normal autumn behaviour? I read about first moult and they would have been pullets last year - there have been a lot of little white feathers all through the henhouse (which have also disappeared>>> weird!) but to be as week as my girl seemed this morning seems worrying and I am thinking that perhaps she is not going to last long??
Thank you so much for advice --- a worried mum!

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Hi Sassy

I do not believe this is normal behaviour for any time of year

With both girls being so lethargic and anti-social, is not good.

How long since you wormed them last? Could it be possible they have worms? What are their poos like?

Frankly, I'm worried for your girls

Chicka-Dee

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Fri May 30, 2014 9:35 pm

Thanks for your reply Chicka Dee. I'm worried too..... They were wormed last weekend, and in summer and get a bit if natural yoghurt everyday to a healthy gut. I've been reading all evening and still not sure.... They sound a bit broody, a bit like moulting and a bit off colour too

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Sassy Sussex wrote:

Thanks for your reply Chicka Dee. I'm worried too..... They were wormed last weekend, and in summer and get a bit if natural yoghurt everyday to a healthy gut. I've been reading all evening and still not sure.... They sound a bit broody, a bit like moulting and a bit off colour too

So far it's like you've said you have a child that sits on the floor, is anti-social, will eat a little and has been wormed....what's wrong with her doctor?. Do you know how many questions need to be asked to get a diagnosis, without being able to see the patient.

From what you've described, they do sound like they have sort of broody symptoms, but not really, but you didn't answer my question.....what are their poos like? As this will tell you a lot. :?:

So off colour....do you mean pale combs & faces, what? :?:

You need to give a list of signs & symptoms, list what you've done to help rule anything out, what they've eaten, whether you have changed their diet in any way & what their behaviours are like. :-D

You've given some behavioural signs, but you need to list more than "anti-social" and "she seems light".

If your girl is really sick, like when a bird starts to show sign & symptoms of illness, that means they've got to a serious point. To get an answer off someone on a forum, you need to be precise, take photos to show people poos, how "off colour" she is & her over all condition. All these things help get a quicker diagnosis, so you don't have a continual back & forth.

Not trying to scowl on you, just trying to help you & your girl as quickly as possible, because I know how frustrating it is to have a sick girl on your hands. :-D

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 12:05 pm

Hi Chicka-Dee. Really appreciate your help! I have data for you...

Happy girl Ari seems a bit broody. Very unimpressed bedding removed and made a lot of sounds trying to get back into house when I shut it up to clean out. You can see she found the hay I removed and tried to nest outside. Her poops seem normal to me, not those classic broody poops I read about. She ran around had a scratch, ate some pellets and grain but ignored the goodies plate I brought down.
http://imgur.com/ZazZEsw

Argi has lost heaps of weight. Lots of breast meat feel like its gone. She ate one grape which I squashed up and hand fed and a few pellets Ari splattered around. The other mornings she drank water first thing. She didn't drink this morning. Her vent had been messed up so I bought her in the house and cleaned it up and gently blow dried her. She just stood around when she came out of hen house with her wings a bit out from her body. She didn't seem to have great balance when I put her down again on the ground. I stayed with them for about 2hrs. She did a small sloppy poop towards the end of the 2 hrs. When she stood around she seemed to keep her head/neck forward/ lower than her tail. I put her back in henhouse but left all doors open so it's light and cool in there and as mentioned no hay or nesting material just newspaper lining. I checked her over thoroughly (though I'm inexperienced) she seemed to be well feathered, I did see a couple little mite/Lice things (very small 2mm, see-through brown colour with a longer body part than head part). She does scratch her head now and again. She's been my concern before. I'm not sure she laid over summer and she had an eye infection from a scratch in February.
http://imgur.com/TADOgfF

Standing around leaning forward
http://imgur.com/Akr5PWO

Thank you heaps. Leah

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 12:24 pm

She is still sitting on the perch where I placed her an hour ago. http://imgur.com/n73yfVr

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 2:29 pm

update:
I'm sure this is not normal

http://imgur.com/dGMIFt1

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Okay Leah it seems like your girl Argi very well may have egg yolk peritonitis.

Her poos are very yellow and it very well may be due to an egg rupturing in her oviduct and causing an infection internally. Her tail down & lethargy are very bad signs.

Do you have any broad spectrum antibiotics like Oxymav? :?:

I would put her in a small isolated space and give her a dose of antibiotics if you have any. This seems like it could be very serious and I'm very worried for her as this could potentially kill her.

Believe it or not, I'm actually dealing with this same thing with my Isa Brown Becky & I don't expect she is going to live. Same thing, very yellow poos, very runny out her butt, lethargic & uninterested in her food.

I will keep my fingers crossed for Argi.

xx
Chicka-Dee

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 8:57 pm

Thanks Chicka-Dee, really appreciate your help. I hope Becky is okay too.
Thankfully I have tomorrow off work so I can hunt down some antibiotics and keep an eye on her. She has never really been a layer, in fact I am pretty sure she may have only given me two eggs ever... she is just such a sweet little soul, really calm and gentle... my dominant girl is feisty and determined!
I will do some more reading with your diagnosis and get onto the meds. Thank you! I think you have helped me in all my posts since I joined.
Leah x

Sassy Sussex · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:25 am

My beautiful girl Argentina, did not make it through the night. Poor little lady.
It also means her sister is left on her own so I am trying to rectify that ASAP today...

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