We had our first cold front in Florida

s4aq745

In the Brooder
Dec 11, 2022
8
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My bantam has been squatting and not moving all day. Shes all puffed up and her comb has darkened. We had our first cold front in Florida. She’s never been in cold weather her whole life since it’s always been 90s-100. It’s only been in the high 50s last night and tonight but it could be something else. Is she sick or is it the cold. I brought her inside in case. Any ideas?
 

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My bantam has been squatting and not moving all day. Shes all puffed up and her comb has darkened. We had our first cold front in Florida. She’s never been in cold weather her whole life since it’s always been 90s-100. It’s only been in the high 50s last night and tonight but it could be something else. Is she sick or is it the cold. I brought her inside in case. Any ideas?
I'm from FL as well so I get whatcha mean. They definitely need a heat lamp or some type of heat source. But this baby looks sick to me considering how dark the comb is and closed eyes. Keep her inside and in a warm room. If you don't notice a change with her being warmer then she is most likely sick.
 
We're certainly having cold temps! Down to 31 tonight here in central FL!

But I agree with @nuthatched ... feathers are very warm and they actually like these temps better!
She looks sick. When they're ill they can have trouble regulating their temperature, so they floof up like that. In such cases a source of warmth is helpful, just be careful they don't get hot as that is very stressful.
I would also put bedding under her in that crate so she can snuggle in rather than having a cold draft coming underneath the wire. A towel on one half of the crate so she has a cozy corner to build up her own body heat would be good.

When they get chilled, they lose their appetite, then you have a loss of energy on top of whatever made them sick. That's why some lukewarm sugar water is a good pick me up followed by an offering of food.
 
My bantam has been squatting and not moving all day. Shes all puffed up and her comb has darkened. We had our first cold front in Florida. She’s never been in cold weather her whole life since it’s always been 90s-100. It’s only been in the high 50s last night and tonight but it could be something else. Is she sick or is it the cold. I brought her inside in case. Any ideas?
I agree, she looks sick.

Is she pooping? What's that like?

She's squatting and hunched up, so I'd give her 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 tablet asap, then once daily for 3-5days, see if she expels an egg, lash material, etc.

If she's not drinking, try to encourage her to take sips of fluid or syringe fluids into her several times a day if possible. Giving her a little sugar water or electrolytes would be a good idea.

Check her crop, make sure it's emptying and look her over for lice/mites.


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She's definitely sick, not cold. 50 degrees is not remotely cold, and she even has a feather parka.
What's her age, diet? When did she last lay? Crop feel? Poops?
She’s never laid got her at the end of spring. Eats henhouse reserve. Ate a bit in the morning yesterday and drank some water but than never moved after that. Brought her inside last night doesn’t look like she drank or ate. I have her a warm bath this morning and she did have lice which I washed off and will treat. She drank water and perked up during the bath but still hasn’t ate. Her poop last night and this morning looked normal to me. Liquid with a chunk.
 
She’s never laid got her at the end of spring. Eats henhouse reserve. Ate a bit in the morning yesterday and drank some water but than never moved after that. Brought her inside last night doesn’t look like she drank or ate. I have her a warm bath this morning and she did have lice which I washed off and will treat. She drank water and perked up during the bath but still hasn’t ate. Her poop last night and this morning looked normal to me. Liquid with a chunk.
Have you been wetting the henhouse reserve into a mash or fermented it? You need to with fortified whole grain feeds otherwise they will pick out what they want, leave the dust (the dusty part is vitamins) and often become nutritionally deficient.
 
Have you been wetting the henhouse reserve into a mash or fermented it? You need to with fortified whole grain feeds otherwise they will pick out what they want, leave the dust (the dusty part is vitamins) and often become nutritionally deficient.
That’s good to know. They do pick out things! Eventually they eat it all or so I thought!
 

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