New chicken question

jester7891 · May 19, 2011, 02:01:47 PM

We recently branched out to chickens (they smell a lot worse than bees); got 4 Rhode Island Reds one week ago. The chickens seem to be doing well, active, not panting, not shivering, seem very inquisitive and are growing. This is my question. Most times when I look into the cage, it seems that 3 chickens are standing and walking around and one is sitting (looks comfortable). My concern is that the same chicken is always sitting (they are all too similar at this point for me to tell the difference). Should I be concerned that one check always seems to be sitting down (could it be hurt etc)? I do not see anything externally wrong with the chicken. Have they already started to create their pecking order?

Thanks,

John

AllenF · May 19, 2011, 07:19:17 PM

Day old chicks or older birds when you got them?

jester7891 · May 19, 2011, 08:50:32 PM

I saw it first when they were 7 days old. They are now 10 days old.

McGoo · May 19, 2011, 09:27:08 PM

Might want to put a little marking (a little whiteout on the head?) on the one chick and see if it is the one always sitting. Is it sitting near the heat/light? Maybe it is cold? Not sure. I can recommend backyardchickens.com - they'll be more helpful.
Good luck

VolunteerK9 · May 20, 2011, 12:38:44 PM

As long as its eating and drinking, I wouldnt be concerned. When they are hot they will all be the furthest they can get away from your heat source. Cold, and they will be directly under it. Check to make sure there vents are clean without any poo balling up around it as this can cause some serious problems. Add a cup of sugar to a gallon of their drinking water or boil and egg or two and mash up the white to feed them. The sugar will give them a good energetic zip to help them get going and the egg white a good source of protein.

kingbee · June 24, 2011, 12:33:14 AM

Quote from: jester7891 on May 19, 2011, 02:01:47 PM... Should I be concerned that one check always seems to be

sitting down (could it be hurt etc)? I do not see anything externally wrong with the chicken. Have they already started to create their pecking order?

Yes they likely already have established a pecking order. If the 'lazy' peep is not being hassled by his sisters and brothers, then I would suspect he/she is the uber chick. Chickens don't tolerate weakness very long. Any chicken to display weakness and that is unable to flee or hide is quickly eliminated from the flock's gene pool. Google 'cannibalism in poultry.'

PS: The pecking order is not set or fixed but is fluid and can change at a moments notice.

Brian D. Bray · June 24, 2011, 06:42:42 PM

I had a rooster that sat a lot. He would walk around when food was put out to eat or drink but for the majority of the time he just sat.
He had weak legs. Hatched out 5 chicks from him, all had twisted feet that looked like they were walking on pretzels. They sat a lot too. All of them are now in the freezer.

AllenF · June 25, 2011, 06:28:10 PM

A sitting rooster kinda sounds good. He would stay out of the flower beds, not poop on the porch, stay out of the front yard and the road, not chace people if he is mean, list just goes on.

Keeperwannabe · July 18, 2011, 01:43:57 PM

about the chick that sits all the time, you might want to supply some type of supplement I know their bones grow really fast and their legs can have problems. Put a little box in there so he can be seperated but still have heat and see if he continues sitting or starts trying to get back to the others.

I have heard of sitting hens, if you don't want eggs incubated then they are a pain. Sitting roosters is a novel idea though, they can incubate and actually be useful for a change.