We had a hen that was acting sluggish past 3d, but she's done this before and acted normal after a few days that first time.
Today, she up and died in my arms. I went out to open the coop door at 6am. About 1/2 the flock came out, and I left them be for a few extra winks.
About 9am, I went out to clean the poo-board offerings and she was still on the roost! I set her down on the floor of the coop and she just plopped down. I picked her up, put her by the door and she plopped down again.
Gave her a little nudge and she hopped down the runner board to the ground, where she promptly plopped down again. Eyes open at this time.
I watched her a few minutes and she seemed to be losing ground pretty quick - a few of the other hens gathered around her, clucking at her. They seemed to sense something, too.
I brought her outside the pen and was holding her and all of a sudden she started to mildly convulse, then her head dropped and she was gone. I wet her feet, sprinkled a few water drops on her face, but she was totally gone.
What in the world happened to this hen? I called the Animal Diagnostic place, part of a university, and they want $40 for a necropsy. Sorry, folks, we can't afford that. So I buried her.
All the others are acting normally, eating, drinking, dusting, trying to stay cool. I'm getting a little discouraged here.
Today, she up and died in my arms. I went out to open the coop door at 6am. About 1/2 the flock came out, and I left them be for a few extra winks.
About 9am, I went out to clean the poo-board offerings and she was still on the roost! I set her down on the floor of the coop and she just plopped down. I picked her up, put her by the door and she plopped down again.
Gave her a little nudge and she hopped down the runner board to the ground, where she promptly plopped down again. Eyes open at this time.
I watched her a few minutes and she seemed to be losing ground pretty quick - a few of the other hens gathered around her, clucking at her. They seemed to sense something, too.
I brought her outside the pen and was holding her and all of a sudden she started to mildly convulse, then her head dropped and she was gone. I wet her feet, sprinkled a few water drops on her face, but she was totally gone.
What in the world happened to this hen? I called the Animal Diagnostic place, part of a university, and they want $40 for a necropsy. Sorry, folks, we can't afford that. So I buried her.
All the others are acting normally, eating, drinking, dusting, trying to stay cool. I'm getting a little discouraged here.