Chicken dead in the coop. Wound on Back Part.

[Creative25]

Hi today i found one of our chickens dead in the coop with a wound at the back part.
I do not know if was attacked by other chickens or if it had a desease.
See Photo. Warning photo is shocking to me.

 

[sourland]

sorry for the circumstances . Looks like a prolapse that was pecked at by flock mates.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Looks like a severe prolapse. A prolapse is when the interior portion of the cloaca basically falls out of its place. Was she a production egg breed like a leghorn or a sex link type bird?

Can be caused by weak muscles in the area, large eggs, low calcium. Do you offer oyster shell to your flock? I had a hen have a mild prolapse I was able to fix, and ever since then I've provided oystershell at all times. She has been fine for a year and a half since then.

A prolapse by itself can be severe enough to be the cause of death. Not always though. There are many hens on BYC that have recovered from the condition.

If the other chickens peck her prolapsed vent bad enough, it can also kill her. It's in chickens nature to peck on things out of curiosity and if they find it tasty (even if it's another chicken) they'll keep pecking. I'm sure you know they don't really associate cannibal behavior with taboo like humans do.

But to us it's awful to find a hen dead by what is essentially her insides coming out, and not fun to think it may be at the beak of it's flock mates. I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[Creative25]

Thanks for the insight very considerate and helpful. Ist this condition contagious?
What can. I do to prevent this from happening again?

 

[Eggcessive]

She was cannibalized and probably gutted by the flock. Many times if a chicken has a temporary prolapsed cloaca, sometimes when just laying an egg, or a longer term prolapse, the others may be attracted to the red tissue and begin pecking. The large intestine is part of the cloaca with the oviduct, and can be pulled out.

Make sure they are not overcrowded. They should be receiving a balanced chicken feed of 16 to 20% protein (layer or all flock feed.) It also helps to get outside each day to roam around in the yard to prevent boredom. Keep lighting low inside the coop, since bright light can stimulate them. You also can place items to climb on inside the run. Even with plenty of room and getting outside, it is hard for them to not peck at a prolapsed vent. Today’s high production hens can suffer prolapse and egg binding. I am sorry for your loss, and sure that it was horrifying to find her like this.

 

[Creative25]

Thanks for the insight very coniferous and helpful. Ist this condition contagious?
What can. I do to prevent this from happening again?

She was cannibalized and probably gutted by the flock. Many times if a chicken has a temporary prolapsed cloaca, sometimes when just laying an egg, or a longer term prolapse, the others may be attracted to the red tissue and begin pecking. The large intestine is part of the cloaca with the oviduct, and can be pulled out.

Make sure they are not overcrowded. They should be receiving a balanced chicken feed of 16 to 20% protein (layer or all flock feed.) It also helps to get outside each day to roam around in the yard to prevent boredom. Keep lighting low inside the coop, since bright light can stimulate them. You also can place items to climb on inside the run. Even with plenty of room and getting outside, it is hard for them to not peck at a prolapsed vent. Today’s high production hens can suffer prolapse and egg binding. I am sorry for your loss, and sure that it was horrifying to find her like this.

Igave them some feed for smaller chickens called pullet grow. Coul this cause them to have a lack of calcium? The coop is not over crowded. I had more chicken than now. Without a problem. Maybe I shoul look out to see if one chicken bullies the others.

 

[Tretinker]

Thanks for the insight very coniferous and helpful. Ist this condition contagious?
What can. I do to prevent this from happening again?

Igave them some feed for smaller chickens called pullet grow. Coul this cause them to have a lack of calcium? The coop is not over crowded. I had more chicken than now. Without a problem. Maybe I shoul look out to see if one chicken bullies the others.

It's not contagious.

Feed oyster shell or their own crushed up egg shell back to them.

Growers fees doesn't have enough calcium to support egg production. If you have only laying hens there is a layers feed specifically formulated with extra calcium which is what our layers are own but we also offer a supplement of oyster shell and ground up egg shell.