Why is my hen dying?! ***UPDATE***

[MsSpidersFlock]

Hey guys and gals-

Yesterday was the first day that I let my flock free range around my property. I love my birds, so I ended up being outside for about 5 hours yesterday, only leaving the area they were in to check on dinner in the oven.

This mornin, I went out to throw them breakfast scraps as usual, and I found one of my little hens on the ground with a bleeding comb. I figured she was sitting on eggs, but when I picked her up, I noticed that she's having trouble breathing and she was going limp. It's been about 40 mins since I found her, and she just gets worse. I recently noticed that she has somewhat of a pasty butt, her poop is really runny, etc.

I'm pretty sure my poor Raven can't be saved, so I guess my questions are:

1. Should I be concerned about this being something contagious
2. If it doesn't sound like an illness, what the heck could've happened? My 2nd thought leads to poison, but I was out there the whole time and I made sure to the best of my knowledge that anything that could have harmed them was gone.

This is so sad! : (


*** UPDATE ***
Hey everyone-

My hen died a few minutes ago...Still I have no idea what killed her. She went into a series of spazams before she went, wings flapping, muscles clenching etc. I don't know if that is normal...Never seen anything die before, just came upon them. I'm seriously in shock...She was perfectly healthy at 7PM last night.

 

[Mama Bird]

hey,
Im soooooooo sorry this is happening to your baby! Im alex and im new but i hope this will help. One time my chicken was lying on the ground and waving her head back and fourth like she was dizzy and also had the poopy problem. I found later after she died that a poisin garden bag was open and that she had gotten into it.

Do you have any poison toxins around? It could also be that mabey another chicken attacked her and shes just in shock that might explain the bloody comb. Bring her inside with water. If she wont drink get a seringe and help her. Also try bread crumbs. Hope this helps keep us updated.

 

[MsSpidersFlock]

Hey Alex, thanks for the support : )

Raven won't open her eyes long enough to even see that anything is in front of her. I give her water via a dropper, but she doesn't really even respond to it. She doesn't swallow, or anything...it just sorta slides down her throat.

She's having quite the difficulty breathing, like a slow pant. I forgot to mention earlier that her abdomen isn't hard or anything by the way. As far as body temp goes she feels to be a bit on the cool side...I dunno, I've seen my birds go before, and I'm pretty sure she isn't going to make it. I feel HORRIBLE about it too!!!

I have no idea what she could have gotten into, that the other birds didn't get into either. Now I'm extremely worried about my other birds. I wish that there were something I could do to make her more confortable.

 

[robin416]

The bleeding comb is the clue here, she was attacked by something. She could be in shock or be suffering internal injuries. Take her some place quiet and warm. Make up some electrolytes and water and try to make sure she drinks some. The best you can do at this point is watch her.

 

[MsSpidersFlock]

I checked her over a couple of times, and she appears to be perfectly normal except for the pasty behind and the little peck mark on her comb. No feathers missing, no scratches, cuts, etc. Could she have gotten sick, and THEN one of my hens pecked at her comb because of it? Chickens can be a mean bunch. I'm just so stumped!!!!!!!! Now if I give her pedialyte, how much do I give her, and do I mix it with water?

The rest of my flock is dandy. I searched the yard again, and theres nothing she could have gotten into that I can see, once again. I'm wondering if maybe this is a laying issue?

 

[CarriBrown]

You can give her Pedialite without water but don't give her grape favor. I don't know what exactly it is, but there is something that makes the grape flavor that is bad for birds. Maybe the dye?
I hope she's ok!

 

[Mama Bird]

hey agian,
dont worry! you can do this!

lets just think...........um.......... wait! i know! There are bugs that are very harmful and can upset the chickens stumach. iknow this sounds weird but my friend had it happen to hers. I think she just has to wait it out. If things get worse, the most comforatable thing that the chicken would like( or so mine do) is for there mama hen, (you) to just hold them in a heating blanket and sit down and watch tv or read. I cant beleive im saying this because its sort of embarrasing for me!

but i just love my chickens too much!

by the look of things you do to.

just sit and talk to her i swear its like they fight it more. stroke her and try sugar water. ( just to warn you this can be a 50/50 chance. the sugar water could snap her out of it or it could make her poops more runny.) do what your gut tells u. k well keep me posted. K hope it turns out ok. luvz always -alex-

 

[MsSpidersFlock]

Hey alex- you must not have seen my update at the top : ( My hen died about an hour and a half after being inside. : ( I still have no idea what went wrong! The rest of my chickens are fine, so that is one bright thing. Thanks for the support!

~Kat~

 

[Mama Bird]

oh.......um......great i feel really smart. lol im still new to this whole forum thing. hope all of your other chickens are ok, and dont get it either. k well have a good day. bye bye mama bird

 

[waynaria]

i am sorry to hear about raven the same thing happened to my poor chooky. the scary thing was i called her raven too... scary.. my chicken had the same symptoms and died just like that.. she was my 1st chicken so it hurt . real bad.