# Autistic Hen?



## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

This is Stumpy... She was hatched last December from parents who are sweet but always a bit socially off. I think she got the worst of it because she's reeeeeally socially off. And she is currently the only chicken I have ever had to get frost bite of the feet - twice. I still have no idea how she managed.

As you can see she walks around with her wings severely drooped, as if saying, "Don't bother me, I'm insanely submissive" but it has the opposite effect and everyone harasses her and the wings droop more. She's not physically sick in any way... I know this because for a while I took her in and let her chill with the babies in the brood box. After three days she stopped with the wing drooping. I thought this was great - I could raise her with the babies and let them loose with the flock at the same time and maybe she'd have the confidence she needs. Nope... babies, now juveniles, ran off happily and integrated and she immediately went back to this drooping posture, hiding behind the introductory cage most of the day. She's also never laid an egg as far as I can tell. I swear it's because she's just too darn anxious and stressed out... but she is fine weight-wise and has never so much as sneezed. And she gets around just fine on her stumpy feet.

Thinking of trying the baby thing again but this time in a breeder flock who lays a different colored egg so I can put them together in a breeding pen when they've grown out instead of in the main flock which seems to be over stimulating to her. That would have the added benefit of letting me know if she's laying at all.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There is a high probability that she is having pain in her feet. She's using her wings for balance when she moves around. When you had her up with the young peeps her moving around was greatly restricted which helped with the pain.

You can experiment and see if a pain reliever has her moving easier. Heck, I'd even try a steroid.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yea her feet don't look too good. Can't tell if it's a genetic thing. But could be. What can you tell us about her feet? Does she stand all the time or rest here and there?


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

I would think that... but she started with the drooping wings as a chick... before she froze her feet... and her parents did the same thing for months until they acclimated to the flock. They didn't have any frost bite. They were just weird. She's like they were but amplified and for way longer. Most of the chickens now leave her alone, even the roosters, but she still acts super fearful of them and she acts like every decision is sooo hard to make. The photos of her at the mud puddle was her standing there staring at for twenty minutes before deciding it was OK to drink it. She does this every day with every thing but I don't think she's stupid, just painfully cautious. 

She gets around pretty well, stands as much as a usual chicken. Obviously can't perch but that's about as far as it goes. I have considered booties for her as she does act pained when it gets cold... which makes sense, frost bite can cause that sensitivity even after it's healed up. That or I may just take her in. What's one chicken? I wouldn't even know what kind of pain killer would be safe for a chicken? I am not ageinst trying something along those lines... I just don't think that's it.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

I see birds in cages...........


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

LoL yes.... They don't live there permanently. They're there being introduced to the rest of the flock. Usually they stay in there a week... and I have quarantine cages as well.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I don't know, that's one weird bird. Can you check her eyesight with a treat?


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