My chicken sounds like a cricket

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by Henry
(Kissimmee, Florida)

Question

My chicken sounds like a cricket and she always wants to be alone. She is a Rhode Island Red. She is about 6 months old.

We have 4 Rhode Island Reds in the flock and 12 more chicks in a separate cage. A couple of days ago we got 2 more Rhode Island Red hens.

Both of them had their combs done and their beaks were wets and half of their beaks came off. We don't know if those other chickens have anything to do with them. What might the sick hen have?

Answer
I’m a bit confused by parts of your question. What was done to the combs of the hens? Were they dubbed for showing them? Then you said: “the beaks were “wets” and half their beaks came off”.

Could you explain this more please? Next, do you mean you are wondering if the chickens with the combs done and beak problem may be making the Rhode Island Red hen sick?

I’ll do my best to help you, but think I need a bit more information.

For “combs done”, I’m guessing you mean the combs and wattles were removed for show purposes? If the beaks were wet and damaged and falling off, I would say there is a high possibility of some kind of disease or injury.

It’s always a good idea when bringing in new poultry to have a quarantine area set up far away from your original chickens.

Keeping new birds, or birds returning from a show, in quarantine for a couple of weeks to month will give them a chance to show any signs of disease away from your other chickens.

The chicken that wants to be alone should be kept away from the flock as well. She may have become sick from contact or being near the new hens and this can spread to chicks and other adults.

Some diseases travel through the air and some through droppings. Her funny sounding voice could mean a respiratory infection or disease.

At this point, I believe you have a potentially big problem on your hands and should consult a veterinarian.

You need to find out what is wrong with all of these sick chickens in order to treat it and make sure every chicken you have stays healthy.

It’s so important not to bring home any sick chickens, especially when you have others.

There are diseases that can stay in the environment for a long time, so bringing in sick chickens that you are feeling sorry for because they have problems is always a bad idea.

It can end up being very expensive for medication and possibly causing you to have to replace your whole flock, or not be able to keep any chickens until the disease in the environment has a chance to die.

I hope you can get the exams and medical treatment for these chickens that are needed.

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