aptenodytes
In the Brooder
One of my chickens has just died, and I have no idea why.
Bernadette was bought from the local poultry merchant in June, along with three other youngsters. She was always very flighty and frightened. She was initially very frightened of my older chickens - and with good reason, since the four older birds gave the four newcomers a tough time, at first - and initially she was also terrified of me. However, this soon changed. Because she was too afraid to come with the rest of the gang and eat from a bowl of 'treats' that I was holding, I used to feed her behind my back, from my hand, and this soon resulted in a very great attachment to me. Soon, she was rushing to greet me and also trying to leave the pen with me! Naturally, this made her a great favourite of mine.
A week ago, I noticed that Bernadette had become as big and perhaps even a little bit heavier than her companions. She was now holding her own at the feeders and although just as hyper she was no longer clingy. I was proud of her.
Then, late yesterday afternoon, I noticed that Bernadette was off colour. She wasn't rushing up to eat the diced courgette and wheat kernels with the others. I took her out of the pen and was surprised to notice that she seemed a bit lighter. I fed her on her own. She ate half an egg (which is my usual offering for chickens which seem a bit under the weather) but she left most of the courgette and wheat.
When I put her back in the pen, she went to lie down in the dust bath.
This was totally out of character. But as it had been a hot day, and because one of the older chickens was also lying in a dust bath of her own creation, nearby, I decided to let things be. I prepared the hospital coop, just in case; but when I went to shut them in, Bernadette was up on a perch - albeit, she was not on her usual perch. She had tucked herself away in a corner, separate from the others.
This morning, when I went to let the birds out at dawn, Bernadette didn't emerge and I found her standing in the corner. I cleaned out the coop, as usual, and then, since she still hadn't moved into the pen I brought her into the house.
The chicken collapsed into my lap. She sipped the water which I offered, but only took a couple of mouthfuls each time. She ignored all offerings of food of any sort.
I put her in a comfortable box. She definitely didn't want to be in the sunshine; she seemed to wince from that, so I put her in a dark corner. She dozed, and I occasionally offered her water. Half an hour later, she struggled out of the box to poop on the floor. (Good little girl!) Her poop seemed normal: one little squiggle of poo, with a white end, in a small puddle of clear liquid. Not perfect, perhaps - the perfect ones are bigger and don't have the liquid - but I've seen this sort before many times.
Then she got back into the box.
Half an hour later I lifted her out to offer her more water. I sat her on my lap. Hey eyes remained closed. She could barely hold up her head.
One of my older chickens was in this state a couple of years ago, and she pulled through, but I was fairly sure that I was going to lose this one. Even so, I had no idea that the end would come so suddenly.
Bernadette was sitting on my lap, sleeping, when suddenly she began to twitch. She thrust her head backwards and tried to peck under her wing.
I sat her upright on the floor, and she immediately keeled over, twitched violently, and within five seconds was dead!
After she died, a small pool of pale brown liquid appeared from her beak.
Before this, nothing had come out of her beak.
I checked inside her mouth, I checked her vent, and I examined her body. All seems normal.
WHAT KILLED THIS CHICKEN?!!!
I don't know whether Bernadette ever laid an egg. I know that the other three youngsters are laying, but I'm not sure about this one.
She doesn't appear to be egg bound, but since I've no experience of this problem I can't say for sure.
Bernadette was bought from the local poultry merchant in June, along with three other youngsters. She was always very flighty and frightened. She was initially very frightened of my older chickens - and with good reason, since the four older birds gave the four newcomers a tough time, at first - and initially she was also terrified of me. However, this soon changed. Because she was too afraid to come with the rest of the gang and eat from a bowl of 'treats' that I was holding, I used to feed her behind my back, from my hand, and this soon resulted in a very great attachment to me. Soon, she was rushing to greet me and also trying to leave the pen with me! Naturally, this made her a great favourite of mine.
A week ago, I noticed that Bernadette had become as big and perhaps even a little bit heavier than her companions. She was now holding her own at the feeders and although just as hyper she was no longer clingy. I was proud of her.
Then, late yesterday afternoon, I noticed that Bernadette was off colour. She wasn't rushing up to eat the diced courgette and wheat kernels with the others. I took her out of the pen and was surprised to notice that she seemed a bit lighter. I fed her on her own. She ate half an egg (which is my usual offering for chickens which seem a bit under the weather) but she left most of the courgette and wheat.
When I put her back in the pen, she went to lie down in the dust bath.
This was totally out of character. But as it had been a hot day, and because one of the older chickens was also lying in a dust bath of her own creation, nearby, I decided to let things be. I prepared the hospital coop, just in case; but when I went to shut them in, Bernadette was up on a perch - albeit, she was not on her usual perch. She had tucked herself away in a corner, separate from the others.
This morning, when I went to let the birds out at dawn, Bernadette didn't emerge and I found her standing in the corner. I cleaned out the coop, as usual, and then, since she still hadn't moved into the pen I brought her into the house.
The chicken collapsed into my lap. She sipped the water which I offered, but only took a couple of mouthfuls each time. She ignored all offerings of food of any sort.
I put her in a comfortable box. She definitely didn't want to be in the sunshine; she seemed to wince from that, so I put her in a dark corner. She dozed, and I occasionally offered her water. Half an hour later, she struggled out of the box to poop on the floor. (Good little girl!) Her poop seemed normal: one little squiggle of poo, with a white end, in a small puddle of clear liquid. Not perfect, perhaps - the perfect ones are bigger and don't have the liquid - but I've seen this sort before many times.
Then she got back into the box.
Half an hour later I lifted her out to offer her more water. I sat her on my lap. Hey eyes remained closed. She could barely hold up her head.
One of my older chickens was in this state a couple of years ago, and she pulled through, but I was fairly sure that I was going to lose this one. Even so, I had no idea that the end would come so suddenly.
Bernadette was sitting on my lap, sleeping, when suddenly she began to twitch. She thrust her head backwards and tried to peck under her wing.
I sat her upright on the floor, and she immediately keeled over, twitched violently, and within five seconds was dead!
After she died, a small pool of pale brown liquid appeared from her beak.
Before this, nothing had come out of her beak.
I checked inside her mouth, I checked her vent, and I examined her body. All seems normal.
WHAT KILLED THIS CHICKEN?!!!
I don't know whether Bernadette ever laid an egg. I know that the other three youngsters are laying, but I'm not sure about this one.
She doesn't appear to be egg bound, but since I've no experience of this problem I can't say for sure.