Hatchery just means what it says. They came from a hatchery. I have found the further you breed from the direct hatchery stock, the better the longevity and less reproductive issues you have. Breeder stock means they have been bred for generations to a standard of perfection, with attention to all the traits the breed is supposed to have, are generally larger and more true to type, generally have better longevity and fewer laying issues. I have had both hatchery and breeder quality Barred Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. The breeder quality are much larger and have better conformation, the barring on the Rocks is straight across rather than chevron patterned (looks like the old test pattern on TV if you know what that is), they lay longer into their lives and just live longer lives, generally. There are exceptions, but very few. I am on a laptop that doesn't have all my pictures at the moment or I could show you the striking differences.What’s the difference between hatchery and breeder chickens?
Basically, that sounds like what happened. You will not get a detailed answer of what exactly occurred every minute with your hen, but she was just very weak and her organs shut down, including her respiratory system.So if I try to put this together...
Something like reproductive issues or organ failure caused ascites, she lasted and fought it for awhile until it started to creep up into her lungs on that night?
If a minute before she died, she was walking, could it be true she suffocated to death? Or what happened there?
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