Bird in laying box when I left, dead when I came back

[Cindilou]

My barred rock, Stripey, was in the laying box when I left to go volunteer this morning for an hour at my daughter's school. When I came back and check for her egg, there was no egg, and I couldn't find her. I found her next to the run door. She wasn't moving. It looked like her head was under her. I got the shovel and put her in a box. It looks as though some of her cloaca may have come out. But just a tiny bit. I felt for an egg inside but wasn't really able to tell. There was no looks of mites on her skin, I looked under her feathers. The other birds are fine, it seems. They were walking around the run. Does this sound like an egg stuck?
Thanks

 

[dweder]

It could very well be an eggbound issue. When was the last time she layed an egg?

 

[Cindilou]

I'm not really sure, the girls just got to the age of laying so they aren't regular yet. I am pretty sure she laid a few days ago from the eggs I see in the refrigerator but she has never been more than a couple days a week.

 

[dweder]

The only reason that I can assume it was an egg laying issue, is because you seen her sitting in the nest earlier. Eggbound or internal egg laying can be the source. Just keep an eye on your others to make sure there is nothing going on as far as a possible disease.

I am soooo sorry for your loss. I recently lost my BR as well to an unknown condition.

 

[Cindilou]

I just checked on the two others that started laying. Held them up, looked at their bottoms, felt their chests. They seem fine, clean rears, no prolapsing, they are eating, scratching for bugs, generally annoyed that I lifted the tail feathers. I have one more that started laying last week but she is a quick one. I just feel terrible because yesterday we looked at her because she was laying in the run which is normal behavior for getting ready for dust baths and what not. My boyfriend and I are out there every day making sure everyone looks good, no runny noses etc. He pet her yesterday and made sure she had a clean face and she did. I often think, if I was a real farmer and not just a suburbanite with pet chickens, wouldn't I just be better at all this.

 

[dweder]

Well, I am also a suburbanite with chickens, so I understand totally. Watch their poop. Look for unusual droppings, like bright green or worms in it. If they all look normal, most likely your poor BR had something internal go wrong.

 

[Cindilou]

Will do.
Now the really hard part will be telling the little one about it. She loves her chickens so much.

 

[Cindilou]

Totally did not go over well but she will get over it and is learning about how life works.
But. Now it looks like the poor kid's goldfish is about to kick it. Now we are finishing up a water change.
Not an awesome day.
Sheesh.

 

[Miss_Redhead]

I just had the same thing happen with my Am. Jenny

She seemed fine this morning, walking around, eating, but the previous day she was sitting on the baby's flat-roofed coop, otherwise she was acting normal. Took a nap today, woke up and Jenny was laying on the ground. She too was just of laying age and wasn't a frequent layer yet