The last few days Ms. Buttersworth the chicken has seemed to be gettin' senile. She had been a little clucky and weird a few weeks before that, I thought maybe she was going through a possible nesting phase... but then she just seemed cold, confused, and I got that nursing home vibe. The last rung on the sanity ladder. Her lil' red comb on her head turned half black and patchy, flopped over a bit. When I would pick her up she seemed to be shivering, and was hiding in the corner of JuJu the donkey's hay pile.So now Ms. Buttersworth is in the warmth of the Luck Cabin, her own private box with food & water... and a cat 'nurse' to watch over her. Toots the cat has been making BiG EyEs since I let Ms. ButterCrazy inside.
She eats and drinks. She just doesn't roost, or hang out with her friends, or seem to know where she is going...
is this chicken old age?
XOxoxo
I am not sure of the age of your chicken, but chickens can live to 10 to 20 years old with proper care. It sounds as if she is ill. Have you wormed your chickens? Some of those symptoms signal worms, parasite, or virus. It was good to isolate her from the flock until you verify what exactly she has. Check the droppings and note any change there. How about her vent, is it clear and clean? Could the comb have been frost bitten. Any change in color of comb or waddles is usually a sign something is wrong on the inside. The bird will isolate themselves from the flock if they are sick to prevent vicious pecking. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely sounds like she is sick, which may or may not be related to her age (I have no idea how old she is). But Toots current position may be causing her stress, even though Toots isn't going to pounce on Mrs. Buttersworth. She may, however, be thinking that out of her natural defenses and ingrained survival instincts.
ReplyDeleteShe could have parasites.
ReplyDeleteHey Jane -
ReplyDeleteI never even heard of worming chickens, is there a chemical free way to do that?
Last chicken I had that was sick got better right away when i added a lil' vinegar to her wter but I ran out of vinegar and have no car (in the shop, not that i can drive well anyway, ha).... so maybe i will try garlic in her water.
She was isolating herself for weeks in the nesting boxes and clucking alot, i thought she was getting ready to lay.
My uncle got her at a county auction, so i dont know anything about her age.
Lou cheese ...
Poor Toots really, she was the only one stressing out, the chicken was all into Toots, trying to get close to her. I think she wanted to snuggle so Toots cried in a corner then got over it.
Joyful Living -
I will check into that... maybe garlic would help?? I also have Usnea i collected which i can grind up or put in her water.
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteNon-chemical way to worm chickens and lots of other small livestock:
Food grade diatomaceous earth.
Try this search on Google:
diatomaceous earth chicken worming
Thanks Everett!
ReplyDeleteI have used that stuff to kill fleas, years ago by putting it on the floor and it would cut the bodies of the fleas up and they dehydrate to death.
I will look up the info, i would love to know how it works in small animals internally...
I do not want to use chemical based products on my chickens... at all!
I think I have worms.
ReplyDeletecan I use that on myself?
Follow my breath~
ReplyDeleteSee the world behind my wall~