My very friendly Production Red died today. She was perching on board while at the feeder around 1600. When I came around to check for eggs an hour later, she had fallen over and died. She was stiff and showed no marks of animal attack. The fall was only a few inches, so I suspect she died beforehand. Her sister, was quite noisy and upset with the situation. The dead hen was 2.5 years old and always a good egg layer until her recent molt. She had always been friendly and allowed everybody to pick her up and pet her. For my suburban neighbours, she always was block bird and a source of awe for the children, many who had never seen a chicken close up.
It took some effort, but I got her sister to go into the henhouse after dark. She wanted to 'wake' her sister so that she would follow her into the henhouse Unfortunately, I had to bury the hen in makeshift grave, dug in my garden, several feet deep.
This is the first bird I have ever lost since starting my brief forray into chickens. Is 2.5 a normal age for natural death for these ladies? My other hens, a PR, Jersey Giant, EE, are visibly upset. How does a death like this emotionally affect the flock?
Will I still have problems getting the other PR hen into the henhouse for the next few nights?
Here is a picture of the recently deceased hen, above.
It took some effort, but I got her sister to go into the henhouse after dark. She wanted to 'wake' her sister so that she would follow her into the henhouse Unfortunately, I had to bury the hen in makeshift grave, dug in my garden, several feet deep.
This is the first bird I have ever lost since starting my brief forray into chickens. Is 2.5 a normal age for natural death for these ladies? My other hens, a PR, Jersey Giant, EE, are visibly upset. How does a death like this emotionally affect the flock?
Will I still have problems getting the other PR hen into the henhouse for the next few nights?
Here is a picture of the recently deceased hen, above.
