Chicken died while we were trimming her nails :(

[True_Blue]

I am really sorry that this happened to your girl It sounds like she had an infection of some kind and developed vent gleet (poopy butt). Is she a large breed? They are much more sensitive to being held on their back.

 

[Weeg]

I am really sorry that this happened to your girl It sounds like she had an infection of some kind and developed vent gleet (poopy butt). Is she a large breed? They are much more sensitive to being held on their back.

I was thinking vent gleet too, though don't have enough experience with it to diagnose. If there are no roosts that very well could be the cause.

 

[azygous]

You did nothing to cause your hen to die. I've lost count the number of chickens that decided it was time to die while I was handling them.

The first time it happened, I had been keeping chickens for only a couple of years. I noticed a hen was making wheezing noises, and as I hauled her out from under the coop to check her out, she died.

Another hen had been sick and I knew the end was near, and I decided to pick her up and hold her. She died in my hands.

Most recently, a hen had been sick and had ascites. She seemed fine when I picked her up to bring her inside to wash poop off her backside. She died as I was carrying her to the house.

From the number of chickens that have died this way, I have concluded that being handled somehow pushes a dying chicken over the threshold. It's upsetting to have a chicken die in your hands, but nothing you described of your handling your hen could have led to her death, in my educated opinion.

 

[brendalwelch]

You said that she was acting lethargic before you trimmer her nails right? I think that this is your root cause. What her crop full at all if you can remember?
i have had chickens on their back for long periods of time to treat bumble foot and had no issues. Do you have roosts in your coop? What do you feed?
I'm so sorry.

We do have roosts in our coop and we feed Layena pellets. Free range with plenty of water.

 

[Weeg]

We do have roosts in our coop and we feed Layena pellets. Free range with plenty of water.

Got it, I'm leaning towards vent gleet then. I'm so sorry.

 

[brendalwelch]

I was thinking vent gleet too, though don't have enough experience with it to diagnose. If there are no roosts that very well could be the cause.

When we bought her, we thought she was an Americana because she had the fluffy cheeks but she grew up to look like a mixed breed, possibly a RIR mixed with an Americana, quite petite with speckled red/white.

 

[brendalwelch]

You did nothing to cause your hen to die. I've lost count the number of chickens that decided it was time to die while I was handling them.

The first time it happened, I had been keeping chickens for only a couple of years. I noticed a hen was making wheezing noises, and as I hauled her out from under the coop to check her out, she died.

Another hen had been sick and I knew the end was near, and I decided to pick her up and hold her. She died in my hands.

Most recently, a hen had been sick and had ascites. She seemed fine when I picked her up to bring her inside to wash poop off her backside. She died as I was carrying her to the house.

From the number of chickens that have died this way, I have concluded that being handled somehow pushes a dying chicken over the threshold. It's upsetting to have a chicken die in your hands, but nothing you described of your handling your hen could have led to her death, in my educated opinion.

I appreciate your insight. It’s so hard to know but your comments make me feel better. Thank you!

 

[brendalwelch]

I am really sorry that this happened to your girl It sounds like she had an infection of some kind and developed vent gleet (poopy butt). Is she a large breed? They are much more sensitive to being held on their back.

Thank you for your thoughts. We do have a roost in our coop but I was noticing that she’s been having trouble getting up there, probably because of her long nails. Not being able to roost consistently probably contributed to her poopy butt.

 

[brendalwelch]

We had a similar think happen with a hen years ago. She was flipped in her panic to escape and feed and water flowed from her crop into her lungs.

Ugh, so hard!!

 

[brendalwelch]

I am really sorry that this happened to your girl It sounds like she had an infection of some kind and developed vent gleet (poopy butt). Is she a large breed? They are much more sensitive to being held on their back.

Uo

I'm sorry for your losschickens can not breath when they are on their back so she probably got suffocated.

What a tough lesson learned, thank you!