Mysterious death
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Any advice in this section should not be taken to overrule advice by a certified licensed veterinarian. You should always consult a veterinarian for treatment or diagnoses of animal disease or injury. The information in this thread is simply the experience of board members and is not to be taken as a substitution for veterinary advice or treatment.
- Farrier1987
- Stringy Old Chicken
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:46 pm
- Location: Chatham-Kent
- x 3533
Mysterious death
I set a hen a couple weeks ago. A Wheaten Marans, on 9 eggs. I have a sort of closet thing in the coop, 6 ft long x 18 in wide, 18 high, slats on it for light and a door. I have probably set 15 broods in there and had no problem. Food water and grit with them, and they set and the other ones don't bother them. Cardboard box 6 in high with hay in it for a nest.
Everything just fine, proceeding as usual. Last night when I checked her water, she was off the nest, just on the edge, but it had been warm and some times they do that. Doing chores this morning, she is dead. On her side off the nest. No blood. No sign of a struggle. She and the eggs were cold. Pitched the eggs, they were all there.
I did have a fox snake get a hen a couple years ago, but there were signs of squeezing and broken missing eggs. That is why I wont set them on the floor any more.
I put her out on the edge of the bush a mile away, my belief in recycling. I did not cut her open. Just thinking about it now, I did not feel her crop either and I should have.
Anyone have any idea? Parasites? No sign of mites or anything, no distress or going down hill that I could notice, but might have missed it as she was sitting. Oh, and my wife said she had given her a piece of fruit four days ago, which I don't do as a rule, gave some to another setting hen which seems fine.
Everything just fine, proceeding as usual. Last night when I checked her water, she was off the nest, just on the edge, but it had been warm and some times they do that. Doing chores this morning, she is dead. On her side off the nest. No blood. No sign of a struggle. She and the eggs were cold. Pitched the eggs, they were all there.
I did have a fox snake get a hen a couple years ago, but there were signs of squeezing and broken missing eggs. That is why I wont set them on the floor any more.
I put her out on the edge of the bush a mile away, my belief in recycling. I did not cut her open. Just thinking about it now, I did not feel her crop either and I should have.
Anyone have any idea? Parasites? No sign of mites or anything, no distress or going down hill that I could notice, but might have missed it as she was sitting. Oh, and my wife said she had given her a piece of fruit four days ago, which I don't do as a rule, gave some to another setting hen which seems fine.
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Farrier1987. South of Chatham on Lake Erie. Chickens, goats, horse, garden, dog, cat. Worked all over the world. Know a little bit about a lot of things. No incubator, broody hens.
- windwalkingwolf
- Poultry Guru - pullet level
- Posts: 3567
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:31 pm
- Location: Frankville, Ontario
- x 4899
Re: Mysterious death
Ouch. Sorry, Farrier. Only hen I've had go suddenly like that, just suddenly get tired, lay over and die, was an aneurysm. Her belly was full of blood and clots and one of the big vessels near her kidneys was swollen and leaky. Not saying that's what it was, but it's a possibility.
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- Killerbunny
- Poultry Guru - total zen level
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- Location: Brockville
- x 10171
Re: Mysterious death
Oh sorry, sometimes the stress of broody is just too much for them.
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Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
- WLLady
- Stringy Old Soup Pot Hen of a Moderator
- Posts: 5613
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:55 pm
- Location: Rural near West Lorne and Glencoe
- x 8527
Re: Mysterious death
How old was she? It does sound like a gone in her sleep kind of thing. Heart or stroke or similar....sorry to hear.
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Pet quality wheaten/blue wheaten ameraucanas, welsummers, barred rocks, light brown leghorns; Projects on the go: rhodebars, welbars
- Happy
- Poultry Guru - pullet level
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- Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:46 am
- Location: Wasaga Beach
- x 10923
Re: Mysterious death
Sorry about your girl and her eggs. My girls eat fruit all the time so I doubt that had anything to do with it.
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- Farrier1987
- Stringy Old Chicken
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:46 pm
- Location: Chatham-Kent
- x 3533
Re: Mysterious death
I think she was a hatch here from some eggs I got from you either two or three years ago.
And now that I think of it, I should probably be suing you for supplying sub standard product, and for emotional distress. If you hadn't given me that egg, this would have never happened. Oh, I am seeing the whole thing now and you are definitely culpable. I feel so much better now I have found someone to blame.
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Farrier1987. South of Chatham on Lake Erie. Chickens, goats, horse, garden, dog, cat. Worked all over the world. Know a little bit about a lot of things. No incubator, broody hens.
Re: Mysterious death
I had a 5 year old hen die this year from heart failure, and two 5 year old roosters too. The bodies are just limp, and have no signs of damage or distress. The hen's mouth was open a little.
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- Killerbunny
- Poultry Guru - total zen level
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- Location: Brockville
- x 10171
Re: Mysterious death
Often if there is heart failure the comb may be purplish.
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Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
- WLLady
- Stringy Old Soup Pot Hen of a Moderator
- Posts: 5613
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:55 pm
- Location: Rural near West Lorne and Glencoe
- x 8527
Re: Mysterious death
Well...hm...okay....for the record she was a free egg.....so....um....
3
Pet quality wheaten/blue wheaten ameraucanas, welsummers, barred rocks, light brown leghorns; Projects on the go: rhodebars, welbars
Re: Mysterious death
Very sorry. I've come to the coop a couple of mornings to find as dead hen. No reason. It's very odd when they just up and die. Especially, when they are a young bird.
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