http://i.imgur.com/VfKsqsIl.jpg

First sick chicken on Farmstead Smith!

Went out to the mini coop a couple weeks ago to feed and put the littles to bed and found one of my favs just laying on her side. She wasn't very responsive, they usually freak out (telling, flapping, etc) when I go into their coop area. Picked her up and she did not protest. That's when I knew something was wrong! But what? Shit if I know! The only symptom I had to work with was lethargy. So, feeling her, she was skin and bones, crop completely empty. But her butt looked fine! So I gave her some electrolyte and probiotic water, at first she wasn't interested, but I put some on her beak and then she went to town. She drank A LOT. She drank probably over one cup of water (mixed with probiotics and electrolytes) in one sitting. ![stupid ass chicken](http://i.imgur.com/b8WRlYhl.jpg?1)
So, what I think is the real problem here... I'm dealing with severely stupid chickens. I bet you're wondering why. A week or so before this event? I don't even remember when exactly, but I bought a larger waterer and put it in the bottom of their run of their coop. I removed the quart jar waterer from the inside of their coop. I honest to goodness think that his one in particular hadn't left the actual coop area at all to drink. The grit is also down there, and so I'm assuming that's why she hadn't been eating. I showed them all the water was down there... so it's not like it wasn't available. After she drank a bunch of water (like over a cup), I put her in her inside space and she started eating.

http://i.imgur.com/Tn6UjBLl.jpg

So, while I did put the water back upstairs and I will put the grit up there today... the real question is, how on earth do you deal with severely stupid chickens?

The day after, she was doing pretty well from what I could tell. She was no longer losing balance. She's got food in her crop and she's still drinking. Thankfully to say, she's definitely not as high strung by herself as she is with the rest of her group! After a few days of special treatment she was just fine and got put out back with the rest of the flock. She is still doing just fine. As far as I can tell anyway, I can't seem to tell the Faverolles apart. If she IS the one I am thinking, she is smaller than the others. But again, I really can't tell for sure. Haha. *Moral of the story, if your chickens are basically dying, make sure they're not trying to commit chicken suicide by not drinking. Man, these ones are DUMB.*

As always @farmstead here blogging from FarmsteadSmith!
![verify](http://i.imgur.com/yBVCH3Yl.jpg)
*Photos by me using my iPhone 6s, unless stated otherwise!*

### Check out my most recent Steemit Posts.
* **[Crossbeak The Rooster](https://steemit.com/homesteading/@farmstead/crossbeak-the-rooster)** * [I AM EGGSTREMELY EGGCITED GUYS! - Our First Egg!](https://steemit.com/homesteading/@farmstead/i-am-eggstremely-eggcited-guys) * [How I Earned 300 Followers in 20 Days](https://steemit.com/steemit/@farmstead/how-i-earned-300-followers-in-20-days) * [Tell Your Story Contest - My Story](https://steemit.com/homesteading/@farmstead/tell-your-story-contest-my-story) * [Steemit Blogger Central - A Real Great Community - You're Invited!](https://steemit.com/steemit/@farmstead/steemit-blogger-central-a-real-great-community-you-re-invited) * [It Was a Double Yolker!](https://steemit.com/homesteading/@farmstead/it-was-a-double-yolker) ### Blog Series * Nature on the Farmstead - These posts will be educational and informative about the nature that happens on my farmstead. Look forward to posts about wild animals, birds, wildflowers and plants, insects, and more!

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