The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: AliandSusi on January 31, 2009, 05:31:07 pm
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Tragically found one of our hens dead in the nest box this afternoon. Can find no sign of distress, damage or disease and she seemed fine up till now. We have kept the henhouse squeaky clean and food and water checked every day. Extras of brussel tops, cabbage, porridge, bread some days and allowed to run free in the garden each day. Devastated that we may have been doing something wrong that has inadvertently killed our chicken. Any advice? Has this happened to anyone else? Are we just unlucky or bad poultrykeepers?
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Unforunately chickens can just drop dead un-expectedly...... I'm sure evryone on the forum has had a similar experience, myself included.
As long as the chooks are getting good food as and when needed, water, and grit there's little else you can give them..... By the sounds of it your chooks have all of the above and more!
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I know exactly how you feel, but believe me it just happens. So long as the rest of your flock are fine I shouldn't worry. Keep an eye on them just in case it's a bug.
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Oh dear, what a shame! :(
Sounds like your chickens have a wonderful life and are v-well looked after :) I'm no expert but i really doubt it's anything you have done & your certainly NOT 'bad poultrykeepers'!!!
We've kept chickens etc for 4years now and sadly they do 'just die' for no apparent reason!
Obviously keep a close eye on the others but I'm sure it's just an unlucky 'one off'
:pig:
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How sad and shocking to lose a hen like that. I'm sure you've done everything right. I lost a hen a couple of weeks after introducing 4 new hens into our flock of 8. A week before she died she didn't look at all well and started puffing her feathers out. I seperated her from the rest but she didn't recover. I still don't know what was wrong with her. I wondered at the time if she hadn't been bullied by the other hens. The rest of the flock seem healthy enough so I don't think it was an ailment that she passed on.
Best of luck to you with your hens
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We found one of our Copper Black Marans (young hen) dead one morning. It happens. Sounds like your'e doing everything right.
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You coudnt have done any more than you have done - nats chickens are her world and she raised awareness of the ixworth breed and when you lose one you do get concerned - locally we have a poultry vet that was exspensive but taken to the poultry vets and analised was 80 pounds but it did get to the problem at the time after she lost one and medicine was for all the others to go in water and we didnt lose any more - it was extreme to pay so much out but it saved the others on this occassion. A full report was sent too afterwards and it was good to be reassured but cant be done on every occassion .