Dead Australorp :(

[PouleChick]

My only Australorp pullet (3 months old) was found dead yesterday - I dont' know what happened or what got her and hoping you may have some ideas.

I looked over her carefully and the only sign of violence I could see were some ruffled / missing feathers on the back of her neck. After we looked around her we found a few feathers in a single clump about 3m / 12f away from her, she was further down the garden by the fenceline.

My initial thoughts are unlikely to be dog / fox as no bite marks? Was it one of the young cockerals mounting her and she got scared and had a heart attack? Mink?

What do you guys think?

 

[BlueBaby]

Sorry that you lost her. Did you manage to take a picture that we could see and try to help you to figure it out?

 

[PouleChick]

Sorry that you lost her. Did you manage to take a picture that we could see and try to help you to figure it out?

No stupidly I just put her in the bin after examining her - there was nothing to see though - no marks or anything, just the disturbed feathers on the back of her neck. I can go get pics of the feathers as I guess they are still there.

 

[Nats Chickens]

 

[BlueBaby]

How many cockerels had access to her? One time before I had 2 Blue Australorp boys that would both gang up on a Splash Australorp hen at the same time. One would help to hold her while the other one mounted, and then they would switch places on her. I caught them doing that and then caged the cockerels so they couldn't get to her anymore.

 

[Nats Chickens]

Eugh!

 

[PouleChick]

How many cockerels had access to her?

2 but they are both young'ish (nearly 4 months) - I have seen them trying to mount the older hens but are both very gentle from what I have seen and not seen them trying it with the pullets yet. 1 of them is an Araucana and the other a Orpington / cochin (???) mix. Actually no in her group there is another cockerel as well (so 3 months) and he is a blue orp. I've not seen him trying it on with any of them yet.

 

[PouleChick]

Just read the very good article on here about mink and I don't think it is that so all I can think is that it must have been a heart attack or a bad peck on the back of the head?

 

[BlueBaby]

Maybe.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I’m so sorry for your loss! Bear hugs!!!