Poorly POL Pullet?

Hello everyone

Hoping that there are some wise chicken-keepers out there who can help. We now have 5 hybrid pullets (as of 10 days ago - very excited) - bought at POL, but two started laying the next day (ISA Warrens), and now four of the five are in lay.

One (who I think is not in lay yet) has looked a bit off-colour for a couple of days (not dashing about with the flock, standing quietly / sitting in the dust bath, puffed up, tail closer to down sometimes than up, not coming when I feed corn in the afternoons, not really interested in food / water).

I managed to get her into a separate run today (she's a bit skittish). She seemed to perk up immediately (less puffed up, tail back up to normal place), and scratching around and nibbling grass (although at a generally less frenetic pace than the others). I put a couple of tubs in the run with a little corn to tempt her, and with water. She's eaten the corn, and drunk about 4 pints of water I think (haven't seen her tip the tub over...). Poo looks normal, but she is still quiet.

Any thoughts? Not sure whether she is just feeling funny coming into lay, egg-bound, has a cold or what (it's all a bit new to me...).

I think that she is number 2 / 3 in the pecking order normally. The hens are on hard standing with Hemcore, and I feed them layers pellets. She's on grass now, and have added a cardboard box on its side in lieu of a nesting box in case she is coming into lay....

 

It's a bit of a worry that she isn't really eating properly all i can say is keep a close whatch over her...does her comb look healthy/red and have you got a dish of grit for them to nibble at as it helps with shell formation....chooks can't afford to be off colour for long....sorry i can't be of more help...i'm not an expert but i'll keep thinking

 

She seems to be all better now - hurrah! They all seem to have had a bit of a growth spurt of late, so am adjusting their feed rations upwards and she's in the mix going for her food again, so all good. Thanks for your help lolimac.

 

Aw thats great news...aren't they just a treat to whatch....have you named them ...i've named mine...i love them to bits...enjoy them