Blood--quite a lot--on the roost and floor

[olivigus]

Hi folks. I've been researching older posts, but not finding a definitive answer. This morning there was a lot of blood on one of the roosts and spots on the floor. I have 15 hens in that coop and all are running around, scratching, eating/drinking like normal. Nobody seems lethargic or ill. I checked them all out, especially the ones I know like to roost on that middle bar. None of their vent areas show any signs of blood. The only one who had a few red spots around her feet has no injuries that I can see and it looks more like transfer from walking through the bloody spot. Since the biggest pool was up on one of the highest roosts, I don't think they killed a mouse or rat--no carcass remains or other evidence of that. I was reading that sometimes an injury can bleed a lot, but am worried this is something internal. My oldest girls are 6 years old, and the youngest are 2. Any advice/experience shared greatly appreciated.

 

[kerbotx]

Tiny injuries to the comb or wattles could bleed that much - check their heads over very carefully.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Wow, that is a good bit of blood. Have you looked over all the birds?

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Tiny injuries to the comb or wattles could bleed that much - check their heads over very carefully.

X2. Even the littlest cut on the comb or wattles can bleed a LOT.

 

[citymeetscountry]

We have blood splattered in our coop/nesting boxes/etc and it’s from comb injuries. I’m always amazed at just how much blood it is. But I haven’t seemed it pooled on the roost bar like that. Def check them all over but I’d suspect comb/wattle

 

[Minky]

check for frostbitten combs and wattles.

 

[Eggcessive]

Besides looking at combs and vents, look for a blood feather that is bleeding. Sometimes mine have picked at a blood feather on the legs, and they can bleed a lot. Most times, including the other day in my coop, I never locate the source of bleeding.

 

[RoyalChick]

Comb or wattles. One of mine scratched herself (I think that is what happened) and there was blood dripping (in my head pouring) down and pooling at her feet, but she was fine and slept through my entire panic about her imminent death.
I never did really find exactly where it was all coming from. It was all dried up in the morning and she cleaned up her face in her water bowl better than my gentle attempts at dabbing with a cotton ball!

 

[KingD]

Hi folks. I've been researching older posts, but not finding a definitive answer. This morning there was a lot of blood on one of the roosts and spots on the floor. I have 15 hens in that coop and all are running around, scratching, eating/drinking like normal. Nobody seems lethargic or ill. I checked them all out, especially the ones I know like to roost on that middle bar. None of their vent areas show any signs of blood. The only one who had a few red spots around her feet has no injuries that I can see and it looks more like transfer from walking through the bloody spot. Since the biggest pool was up on one of the highest roosts, I don't think they killed a mouse or rat--no carcass remains or other evidence of that. I was reading that sometimes an injury can bleed a lot, but am worried this is something internal. My oldest girls are 6 years old, and the youngest are 2. Any advice/experience shared greatly appreciated.

I find that quite often when I introduce new hens into the flock.

Wounds on the comb or wattle can bleed a lot!
Often just a small injury from another hen

 

[olivigus]

Thanks for replying. Just went out and checked them all over again. No injuries to combs or wattles that I can see. The only sign of anything is the slight trace of blood on Sushi's feet. I looked her over really thoroughly, checked her toenails, felt all up and down her legs, checked the bottoms of her feet and can't see anything that looks like an injury that might have bled. So strange... Tonight I will take special note of who's roosting where so I can better trace whom it might have come from.