Black Astralorp appears to be ready to die

[gtaus]

I have a Black Astralorp that just came off of being broody. This morning, when I opened the coop, as the hens all ran out the pop door, she stayed behind. Already, unusual behavior. I notice that she was opening her beak and letting out an almost silent cluck. She went outside in the next minute or two, but instead of running and diving into the chicken scratch, she basically just sat out there opening her mouth and letting out a muffled cry. I went into the chicken run and picked her up to examine her. I really don't know what to look for, but physically I could not see any signs of obvious injury or damage.

However, judging by her behavior, I suspect she may be on last few hours. Any suggestions at this point most appreciated.

 

[gtaus]

Well, she died a little while ago. Don't know what happened to her, yesterday she was fine. Worse yet, that makes 2 hens dying within the week. All other chickens appear to be normal and doing fine, but both chickens that died were fine until only hours before they passed.

Hope it's not some disease or something running through the flock. Went 2.5 years with the same 10 hens, but lost 2 just this past week. Maybe just bad luck.

 

[Vannahen]

Well, she died a little while ago. Don't know what happened to her, yesterday she was fine. Worse yet, that makes 2 hens dying within the week. All other chickens appear to be normal and doing fine, but both chickens that died were fine until only hours before they passed.

Hope it's not some disease or something running through the flock. Went 2.5 years with the same 10 hens, but lost 2 just this past week. Maybe just bad luck.

I’m sorry to hear about your girl, it sounds to me, she may have had a respiratory infection, I had a bantam that did the same thing, open her mouth and take almost big swallows, by the time I figured it out she died that day, chickens hide when they don’t feel well so they don’t get picked on by others, so in return we are sometimes too late. I regularly put oil of oregano in their waters, is very great for hens and their respiratory & health. I’m sorry about your girl.

 

[Sammster]

I'm so sorry to hear about your girl

 

[Sammster]

I regularly put oil of oregano in their waters, is very great for hens and their respiratory & health. I’m sorry about your girl.

May I ask how much oregano oil you add to the water?

 

[gtaus]

it sounds to me, she may have had a respiratory infection,

She sure appeared to be struggling to breath, and only a faint sound come out of her. She appeared perfectly fine yesterday, but gone within hours today.

 

[Tonyroo]

Make sure to take notes of your observations of her condition while she was alive and how she reacted when she passed away. Since you lost 2 birds recently you'll need to seriously monitor your remaining birds for unusual activities.

 

[gtaus]

Make sure to take notes of your observations of her condition while she was alive and how she reacted when she passed away. Since you lost 2 birds recently you'll need to seriously monitor your remaining birds for unusual activities.

I agree. I do monitor my birds well. I don't have an automatic door opener because I take that opportunity in the morning to observe them when I let them out, and again just before sunset when I shut the pop door and lock them up for the night. I also do some egg checks a couple times a day, and take that opportunity to look for any abnormal behavior.

 

[LaFleche]

Very sorry you lost her.

Did you break her broodiness by taking her from the nest or did you just let her sit?

Did you check her and the nestbox carefully for poultry mites? These parasites love boodies and can suck the life out of them within a few days.

 

[gtaus]

Did you break her broodiness by taking her from the nest or did you just let her sit?

Thanks for the response. I let her sit on the nest until her broodiness passed.

Did you check her and the nestbox carefully for poultry mites? These parasites love boodies and can suck the life out of them within a few days.

I have not seen any parasites in the nest boxes. And when I examined the chicken after she died, I did not see any parasites on her body.