one dead hen....9 others perfectly fine....any thoughts?

[perched]

Sad day over here....and unfortunately, it's my husband's birthday today. He just opened his gifts and went out to collect eggs and came back in with a dead chicken. It is so sad losing one after hand raising them and not having very many to begin with. I just really want some thoughts from all of you....
The others look great, as usual, and seemed unmoved by the tragic event. This particular hen, one of 2 RIR's, was the only one with a flopped over comb, but that is the only thing that stood out as different than the others over the last few months. She was fine 12 hours ago when my hubby went in to feed everyone, and I am almost certain it was some kind of freak accident and she broke her neck or something. Her body is not hard yet, and her head just flops from side to side like it isn't attached to anything. It seems like it's broken right under her head. I'm thinking she fell off of a perch and hit her head on the other perch or something...any thoughts? I am just in shock! She was hatched on Mother's Day 2008..........

 

[basicliving]

I am so terribly sorry to learn of your loss

Without a necropsy, it's hard to know what happened. I also lost one - she was fine at 4PM, I found her hunched in a corner at 5PM, and she was dead an hour and a half later. I looked her over very well after we brought her in, and before she died. No visible signs of trauma, vent was clean, no lumps or bumps. That was 2 months ago and none of the remaining 22 have had any illnesses or anything else. I still have no idea - perhaps she got into a poisonous plant or perhaps it was genetic?

I'm really sorry you lost one of your babies. I'm happy that whatever it was doesn't seem to be contagious.

Take care,
Penny

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Unfortunately the chicken world can be very harsh. What is worse, many time you will never know why your babies just die.

I had a NICE frizzle hen that looked like a wild game just up and die on me in the middle of the day while she was out free ranging and enjoying life. It just happens.

Short of a necropsy and even with a necropsy you will never know.
Is can be a genetic or disease thing that only that chicken is susceptable to.

It is heartbreaking when you just dont know.

sorry for you loss


rim

 

[perched]

Thanks for the thoughtful messages! I'm still shocked that it happened. We want to bury her, but with the ground being frozen, we just aren't sure we can. ;-( We still aren't sure what happened to her, but it looks like the others stomped on her or trampled her. I never knew chickens could be so mean, but after having chickens now for 3/4 of a year, and integrating one group with another, I have seen some seriously bad behavior. I am just praying this was a freak accident, and the 9 remaining girls will be ok. So far, they all look great.