Another add to flock problem

[wkellen]

I have an existing flock with 3 adult hens and an adult rooster, a hen and rooster that were hen raised in the fall, and 12 pullets born the end of Feb. I put them all together about a month ago without problems. Now, my pullets are dying. I lost 1 about a week ago. Just found it dead in the coop with no signs of blood, pecking, or sickness. Yesterday afternoon I found 3 the exact same way. All 3 were perfectly healthy the day before. I let them out to free range this morning and when I was walking away I heard a commotion. I looked back to see the adult rooster trying to mate one of the pullets. I ran him off and he had a feather in his mouth. Is it possible he is trying to mate them and it is killing them? The two roosters seem to be competing now for the adult hens, so I am wondering if this is causing the problem with the pullets dying.

 

[SpeckledHen10]

Shame! That's terrible! The next time you add to the flock, wait till they're a bit bigger.

 

[southernflock14]

Taking one of the roosters out of the coop might help preferably the one that was on the pullet

 

[Mrs. K]

I am not sure, but I think you might have two different issues here.

I will be curious what others post, as I too earlier this spring, added some new birds, all very close to the same size, and after two weeks went down to find 3 dead, and 1 died a day later. Did not look or act sick, did not have a mark on them, no wheezing, no runny nose, no drooping comb, active chickens one day, dead the next morning.

I at first that it was a predator, as I had noticed a breach in my run that a rabbit had dug...... but now I am not so sure, I could not find a mark on them, I only lost my young birds, the old biddies are just fine.

I don't think it is the rooster, you would be seeing a lot of feather damage, the whole flock would be all upset......


Mrs K

 

[wkellen]

The one he tried to mate this morning didn't make it through the day. She sat lethargic all day. When she came out of the coop this morning she looked fine up to that point. I isolated all the pullets this morning after the incident. We will see what tomorrow brings. Hopefully healthy pullets.

 

[mja89]

Aw very tricky, all the best