Can a hen die from being broody? 😥

[FC16]

I am so sorry! I have had many a broodie hen and tried to break them of broodiness but 15 days isn't a lot! I don't know much about silkies. I have had a few very sweet stupid sex links red stars that lay their eggs like crazy and drop dead young, no hint of broody ever. It. makes me so sad!. I've got roosters. I welcome breeder suggestions.

Yeah I’ve only ever had 1 death before this one, and I hadn’t had that chicken long and she was old so I didn’t have much attachment. My poor Silkie was the most friendly out of them all and had such a character, it’s such a shame

 

[FC16]

Oh no ... To be honest when I first got chickens I didn't know about mites and had a broody that died of an infestation they are certainly little buggers! But now you know you can treat your flock and coop, make sure to regularly treat them too

She was in a separate coop and run far away from the flock, do you think it would still have been possible for the main coop to be infested too?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

She was in a separate coop and run far away from the flock, do you think it would still have been possible for the main coop to be infested too?

Yes it's possible. I'd suggest to treat coop and all your flock.

 

[dennisma1]

Yeah I’ve only ever had 1 death before this one, and I hadn’t had that chicken long and she was old so I didn’t have much attachment. My poor Silkie was the most friendly out of them all and had such a character, it’s such a shame

I share your pain I gave away a few roos and just heard today one got killed by a dog . He had a great free range life for 6 months. Probably 5.99 months longer than most male chickens. I feel stupid for being sad over a roo I dint own anymore..
.

 

[FC16]

I share your pain I gave away a few roos and just heard today one got killed by a dog . He had a great free range life for 6 months. Probably 5.99 months longer than most male chickens. I feel stupid for being sad over a roo I dint own anymore..
.

You shouldn’t feel stupid at all, not everyone who keeps chickens keeps for them for meat and eggs a lot of us keep them as pets too and grow attached to them. As I’ve realised today losing a chicken can hurt just as much as any other pet try not to feel bad, I’m sure your rooster lived a happy life

 

[FC16]

The eggs have been in the incubator a couple hours now, I’m considering quickly lifting the lid and giving them a quick candle, do you think it would be a good idea?

 

[raingarden]

I didn’t check her but now you’ve said that it’s just came to me! When we found her we immediately took the eggs, the person I was with scooped the eggs into her tops pocket and noticed little bugs which looked like mites on her top after. We haven’t had chickens too long and assumed they had just came after she died of something. Is this what could’ve killed her? I hope it hasn’t effected the eggs.

It sounds like mites were the problem. When hens are obsessed with hatching eggs they forget to take care of themself. If a chicken only has a few mites you may never notice them. But the mite population explodes when sitting on the nest.

The eggs are likely still good though.

 

[FC16]

It sounds like mites were the problem. When they are obsessed with hatching the eggs they forget to take care of themself.

Yeah I did see her dust bath once, but usually she does it most days so maybe that was why this has happened

 

[FC16]

The eggs are in the incubator, although I don’t have much hope as I have no idea how long the eggs had no heat for. Also the incubator is a cheap one which I didn’t intend on using, so today I need to buy a hygrometer so I can get an accurate reading of the temp/humidity. I think the eggs are dead to be honest but it’s worth a try

 

[FC16]

Update : candled tonight, 3 eggs showing movement, 2 look well developed but can’t see any movement (not too sure what this means), 1 egg was completely undeveloped guessing it just wasn’t fertile