Chickens sudden death

Date sort Score sort
cparr73

cparr73

In the Brooder
Nov 20, 2016
36
16
47
Hello, I came home from work to one of my five hens dead on the coop floor. She was on her back. I was checking her to see what would have happened as she was not sick and bowed no abnormal signs and noticed she had, what looks like dirt, on a little stubby thing above her butt. First of all, this is my first batch of chickens. What is that little stub? And is what's around it mites or lice? If so, would the rest of my flock have mites? It was only on that one spot. Her anus was fine and the rest of her soul and feathers were fine. I have checked the rest of my flock and they don't seem to have it, I just see little bits of dirt. My whole backyard is dirt so they dust bathe in it a lot. I am just worried that since she dropped dead that the rest of my flock may have some illness or mites that I cannot see. Should I treat them with something?

400


400
 
Last edited:
It looks like her preen gland, which secretes oil. Around it on the skin, she might have mites. You should be able to see them on another hen crawling around. Mites leave brown specks on the skin. It could also be dirt from dust bathing, but it looks like pictures of mite droppings. Permethrin spray 10% is good to use one them all, and it may need to be repeated after 7 days or more if you see more signs. The bedding would need to be replaced and coop would also need to be treated. I am so sorry that you lost her. Mites could have been the cause, or something else. Could you save her body and refrigerate it, and contact your state vet or poultry lab to possibly get a necropsy to look for a cause of death. I am sorry that you lost her, and it is a very upsetting thing to find them gone suddenly.
 
I have her body outside still, in a trash bag. My poor girl. Its 32 degrees. She was getting a little stinky already though. Not sure if I can make it in time to get her somewhere. I did change out the straw in the coop and put DE in it, as well as on the chickens. They were pretty dusty so I hope I didn't put too much cause now they are in the coop sleeping. I checked them out just now and when I opened the little door I could see dust flying in the air and they had a little DE around their noses cause they were cleaning themselves. I'll dust them out a bit in the morning. I will have to sterilize the coop this weekend too. I think it was mites because all the other girls had some of the same stuff in their butt feathers which makes me so sad that it could have been prevented if I had seen it earlier and knew what it was.
 

Similar threads

CrazyChickenMom11
2 Sudden Hen Deaths within Week
2
Replies
15
Views
2K
CrazyChickenMom11
CrazyChickenMom11
C
    • Sad
sudden death****
2
Replies
19
Views
1K
Tookie
Tookie
T
Red swollen irritated underbelly isa brown - assistance?
Replies
1
Views
571
Eggcessive
Eggcessive
farmteacher
Sudden hen death without symptoms
Replies
4
Views
899
Krazikatlady64
Krazikatlady64
B
Sudden paralysis in 7 month old hen
2
Replies
14
Views
2K
beachbunny76
B

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom