Snowball has not been acting like a healthy chicken. On this chilly, windy day she fluffed up on the ground, in the midst of the big hens, and fell asleep. I put her up on the roost with Buffy. She came back down and closed her eyes. She’s not scratching the dirt, taking baths, or even spending the afternoon with Candy. Obviously, something is wrong.

The weather is supposed to turn drizzly. I don’t want Snowball either crowded with the girls indoors, or outside getting cold and wet, so I put her back in the spa.

Here she is, basking in the warmth of the heat lamp in the spare stall. Snowball will roost on the ladder at night. She seems pleased to have food and water nearby, and no other hens to push her around. Hopefully, all she needs is a mini-vacation. But I don’t kid myself. I don’t think she’s ill because of the episode of hen-agressiveness. I think she was picked on because she was already acting weak. I’m hoping that it’s simply old age. If so, she’ll have a very nice retirement in the spa.