Another young hen found dead in our coop.

[Mom4ever]

I have now found 2 dead about 6 1/2 months barred rocks def on their coop. One 2 weeks ago, nothing looked odd or off about her and then the other just today found in a nesting box. Nothing looks off about this one either. All new layers. We had 11 and now 9 and we are getting 8 eggs a day.
We have 3 roosters still one is marked and ready to be culled the other 2 we are watching to see who is going to be a good pick. Could hens die because of mean roosters? Trying to lay eggs? Not sure what is going on. Any help is appreciated.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Without opening up your pullet and inspecting the body, or sending her in to get a necropsy, it's hard to say what happened.

What is your hen to roo ratio?

 

[pinewoodacres]

How hot it is? I’ve had a few just start getting wobbly and keel over and die. It’s strange and I cannot figure out what it is, but I suspect it could be heat stroke or some kind of stressor that is unknown to me.

 

[Mom4ever]

Without opening up your pullet and inspecting the body, or sending her in to get a necropsy, it's hard to say what happened.

What is your hen to roo ratio?

I know. I didn't bury her yet. Just chatted with my husband about maybe it is the space or rooster being mean. We have 3 roosters and 10 hens well now 9. It might be a rooster as this was the 2nd in that coop.

 

[Mom4ever]

How hot it is? I’ve had a few just start getting wobbly and keel over and die. It’s strange and I cannot figure out what it is, but I suspect it could be heat stroke or some kind of stressor that is unknown to me.

Not hot at all. That crap that we see sprayed in the air almost daily really concerns us. We started researching what the military is using to build clouds and we were shocked to know what we are being sprayed with. Many of the toxins kill off animals.

 

[KreetchaKeepa]

Sorry about your ladies.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Can you separate the roosters?
If a roo is too rough when he mates he will probably leave bruises. Do you see any bruises on the skin of the deceased bird?
I imagine a heavy rooster could strangle a smaller hen during mating, when he pulls back on the skin on the back of her neck (though I don't know of real world situations like this, just speculation).

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Oh! Had not asked yet.What kind of bedding do you use? Consider changing it if it's cedar shavings.
I used cedar in 2020 because it was all that was available at the store and had some random chick deaths. Otherwise healthy plump little birds. Looked into it, and learned cedar shavings have toxic oils that can harm a bird's respiratory system.

 

[Mom4ever]

Can you separate the roosters?
If a roo is too rough when he mates he will probably leave bruises. Do you see any bruises on the skin of the deceased bird?
I imagine a heavy rooster could strangle a smaller hen during mating, when he pulls back on the skin on the back of her neck (though I don't know of real world situations like this, just speculation).

We are working on how to do that now. They have to be in a coop though as they crow way too loud all night. No bruises. The Roosters are not too much bigger than the hens but we do have a rough one we tagged as he will have to be culled. He does not let the two other roosters crow or mate and chases them off. He comes out in the Am and all the hens run and he doesn't let them eat. We tagged him to keep an eye on his behavior and to know what roosters to keep. We need a good roosters to protect the girls from hawks.

 

[Mom4ever]

Oh! Had not asked yet.What kind of bedding do you use? Consider changing it if it's cedar shavings.
I used cedar in 2020 because it was all that was available at the store and had some random chick deaths. Otherwise healthy plump little birds. Looked into it, and learned cedar shavings have toxic oils that can harm a bird's respiratory system.

Pine shavings. I did hear Cedar was not good to use for that very reason.