- Apr 17, 2014
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This afternoon I came home on my lunch break to find my first chicken dead in her pen. I am sure if I could be classified as a new chicken owner but I know I have much to learn. It has been a really tough week I had a funeral for a family member yesterday, my horse coliced and now this......
I am looking for any input on what might have happened. I know that no one can really say for sure but maybe I could have some sort of closure.
She was a 3-4 year old chicken - Americana/RIR mix. She had been eating, drinking, normally. She had not been laying eggs like my other chicken but I was not too concerned as she was slowing Down last year and I figured she would continue to lay sparadotically. I don't put lights on them so neither lay during the winter. She did have a build up underneath her vent of poop but it was all very normal looking. I did clean it up last weekend and trimmed some of her feathers...
She seemed normal and healthy other than that. Eating the same food / treats etc. I didn't give them anything they should not of had. I don't treat my yard with any pesticides or grass treatments. I'm just really at a loss.
Did I stress her out when I cleaned up her butt? I had to wrap her a towel to keep her still..
Was she sick and I just didn't know it?
Did she have a bound egg? And I just didn't realize it?? I didn't think much of her stopping egg production like I said she slowed down last year.....
Did I cause this? Is this my fault?
Please go easy on me I have been crying about it since I found her an hour ago and could not remove her body out of my pen.... I had to lock her friend up with food and water inside good thing it's only 56...
We did have a freak cold snap come through two nights ago but it was really nothing compared to our brutal winter...
I'm very upset these girls (I have 2) are my pets for crying out loud I brought them in during are hurricane 2 years ago....
I am looking for any input on what might have happened. I know that no one can really say for sure but maybe I could have some sort of closure.
She was a 3-4 year old chicken - Americana/RIR mix. She had been eating, drinking, normally. She had not been laying eggs like my other chicken but I was not too concerned as she was slowing Down last year and I figured she would continue to lay sparadotically. I don't put lights on them so neither lay during the winter. She did have a build up underneath her vent of poop but it was all very normal looking. I did clean it up last weekend and trimmed some of her feathers...
She seemed normal and healthy other than that. Eating the same food / treats etc. I didn't give them anything they should not of had. I don't treat my yard with any pesticides or grass treatments. I'm just really at a loss.
Did I stress her out when I cleaned up her butt? I had to wrap her a towel to keep her still..
Was she sick and I just didn't know it?
Did she have a bound egg? And I just didn't realize it?? I didn't think much of her stopping egg production like I said she slowed down last year.....
Did I cause this? Is this my fault?
Please go easy on me I have been crying about it since I found her an hour ago and could not remove her body out of my pen.... I had to lock her friend up with food and water inside good thing it's only 56...
We did have a freak cold snap come through two nights ago but it was really nothing compared to our brutal winter...
I'm very upset these girls (I have 2) are my pets for crying out loud I brought them in during are hurricane 2 years ago....