georgiashens
Songster
Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice regarding my light Sussex hen, Clover. She will be 2 this summer. Clover has always been a pretty lazy hen. She tends to lay down quite a bit and just doesn’t really care to forrage for to long and sometimes gets left out because she can’t always keep up. She has been like this since I first got her at 10 weeks old. I recently read that a lazy hen means a sick hen so I’m just wondering what it could be? She did have bumble foot about 6 months ago but that has fully cleared up and hasn’t come back. It could also be that she is obese but I’m not to sure how to check that. She used to struggle with a dirty bum but I haven’t seen that for a while (maybe because she stopped laying?). I think she also doesn’t lay as much as she should but she has only just started this year so will have to just monitor this over time. Her personality has also changed recently, she used to be the most gentle hen and enjoyed cuddles but she has pecked me a few times, never wants anything to do with me and pecks the other girls regularly. This may be because the hierarchy has changed though since we introduced two new girls last summer. I know I haven’t given much information, it’s really just my gut at this point but I’m not sure what to be looking out for/if it is something i should be concerned about. Thank you!
