A dead chicken... :(

[Nancie]

Went out to the coop this morning and wanted to cry... out of my 11 hens, one was laying there dead. When my husband picked her up, I could see blood under her vent, so I’m assuming Coccidiosis? I’ve been so busy the past few days that my husband has been caring for them, otherwise, I’m sure I would’ve noticed odd behavior yesterday. I don’t want to lose the rest of them! We are new to chickens to please help with advice I have 2 questions...
1.) please remind me of the protocol to treat them all with Corid (?)
2.) I think part of the problem is that they have a dirt run... it’s been muddy from all the rain and when their food spills they are pecking around in it and the mud mixes with their poop. How do people with dirt/mud runs keep this from happening?

 

[MysteryChicken]

How old are the birds?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am sorry for your loss.

How old are these birds?

Coccidiosis is normally initially found in blood in droppings not at the rear f a deceased bird.

While quite disturbing to us chickens will often cannibalize a deceased flockmate.

If she was an actively laying bird it is possible she prolapsed and was pecked there because chickens are drawn to red.

Did you or your husband examine the body well?

When worried about a possible parasite in the guts a fecal float test is a good place to start.

 

[Chicalina]

Went out to the coop this morning and wanted to cry... out of my 11 hens, one was laying there dead. When my husband picked her up, I could see blood under her vent, so I’m assuming Coccidiosis? I’ve been so busy the past few days that my husband has been caring for them, otherwise, I’m sure I would’ve noticed odd behavior yesterday. I don’t want to lose the rest of them! We are new to chickens to please help with advice I have 2 questions...
1.) please remind me of the protocol to treat them all with Corid (?)
2.) I think part of the problem is that they have a dirt run... it’s been muddy from all the rain and when their food spills they are pecking around in it and the mud mixes with their poop. How do people with dirt/mud runs keep this from happening?

So sorry to hear about your hen.

I'm in the UK so plenty of rain here and mud!

I fed my chickens with medicated chick crumbs when they were babies and have never had a coccidiosis problem. Even though they range on the same ground all the time, and forage amongst their poop.

You don't know if it was coccidiosis. It could have been a reproductive issue. Some breeds/crosses are more prone to these. Or an internal injury.

I would treat the flock with Corid anyway just to be safe and keep a close eye on them.

 

[Nancie]

She was only 20 weeks old. These chickens JUST started to lay. =(

 

[MysteryChicken]

She was only 20 weeks old. These chickens JUST started to lay. =(

What breeds? Some are more prone to reproductive issues more then others.

 

[Nancie]

So we just went out and examined her body more carefully. Pulled back all the feathers to see the vent more carefully... no blood right on the vent. There was blood from SOMETHING... but we can't figure out what. It was stuck to some of the wood shavings around her and on some of her feathers... but no wound that we can find. There was a white egg a few feet from her, but it could've been one of the other white chicken's eggs... not sure.

 

[Nancie]

She was a White Leghorn. Is it possible that just the process of laying an egg could've caused her death? There was no blood on the white egg we did find or anything.

 

[MysteryChicken]

She was a White Leghorn. Is it possible that just the process of laying an egg could've caused her death? There was no blood on the white egg we did find or anything.

Maybe she hemorrhaged internally, one way to know that is a necropsy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I know if they have worms incredibly bad for a long time, the worms can start to eat through the bird and kill the bird