Colorado

[lovincolorado]

So this morning I went out to check on my hens and found my favorite girl dead. She was just laying there with no apparent signs of injury. She was an 8 month old laying speckled sussex and the most vocal of my flock. It is so quiet out there now, just adding to my sadness. Does anyone know how I might be able to determine cause of death? None of the other birds are acting differently and she had no signs of illness yesterday. She came out of the coop this morning and was still warm when I picked her up. Are there ways I could check her crop or anything else for blockage or something else? I'm so new to this and want to make sure there isn't something I could do to prevent future loss.

I was wondering if anyone in the Denver area knew of someone who might process her for me or could guide me to a resource for me to learn how to do it myself. I feel it would be incredibly wasteful and cruel to just 'throw her away.'

You can send her on ice, but not frozen to CSU for a necropsy, and they can run tests to determine what diseases she and your flock may be carrying.

 

[Mtn Margie]

So this morning I went out to check on my hens and found my favorite girl dead. She was just laying there with no apparent signs of injury. She was an 8 month old laying speckled sussex and the most vocal of my flock. It is so quiet out there now, just adding to my sadness. Does anyone know how I might be able to determine cause of death? None of the other birds are acting differently and she had no signs of illness yesterday. She came out of the coop this morning and was still warm when I picked her up. Are there ways I could check her crop or anything else for blockage or something else? I'm so new to this and want to make sure there isn't something I could do to prevent future loss.

I was wondering if anyone in the Denver area knew of someone who might process her for me or could guide me to a resource for me to learn how to do it myself. I feel it would be incredibly wasteful and cruel to just 'throw her away.'

So sorry! I am not sure about eating her unless you actually processed her and found a physical cause for her death, like choking or neck issues. You could use her for animal food or like others have mentioned, send her to a place for testing. Sometimes chickens can have heart and artery issues like all of the other creatures on this planet and they just drop dead, literally.
It is always a shock and please know that we understand how you feel.

 

[mscoloradochick]

So sorry for your loss. I hope you get an answer!

I have a snow question, since we woke up to white. I'm in Arvada - just wondering how you all have your setup in the winter? Same with snow? Winter hoops? More indoor time? Thanks so much!

 

[Mtn Margie]

So sorry for your loss. I hope you get an answer!

I have a snow question, since we woke up to white. I'm in Arvada - just wondering how you all have your setup in the winter? Same with snow? Winter hoops? More indoor time? Thanks so much!

It will melt and they will get over it. Up here, my chooks just learn to deal and I will shovel when it really gets deep and they do spend more time inside and some people do have snow shades but I think mine would be in Kansas if I tried that one! LOL!

 

[jgurshtein]

Thank you so much for your comments. I have a friend who would be interested in her wings, feathers, feet, and some bones for beads so I will go ahead and process her for those items. Then I think I will see if I can find a physical cause of death. If not (and I'm suspecting I won't) then I will take her to a 'reclaimed' space. There are plenty of coyotes and fox that I'm sure would enjoy a nice meal. This way I feel like she will be able to make it back into the natural ecosystem cycle in some way rather than have her necropsied at CSU cuz I imagine they just incinerate the remains.

 

[BlueJaye]

Thank you so much for your comments. I have a friend who would be interested in her wings, feathers, feet, and some bones for beads so I will go ahead and process her for those items. Then I think I will see if I can find a physical cause of death. If not (and I'm suspecting I won't) then I will take her to a 'reclaimed' space. There are plenty of coyotes and fox that I'm sure would enjoy a nice meal. This way I feel like she will be able to make it back into the natural ecosystem cycle in some way rather than have her necropsied at CSU cuz I imagine they just incinerate the remains.

You could certainly call CSU and ask! I live less than a mile away from CSU VTH so if you needed any help, please don't hesitate to ask!

 

[gardendufus]

I wouldn't eat a bird that died of unknown cause.

X2............

 

[sacramento]

Coming up on Oct 26 is the Rocky Mtn Feather Fanciers poultry show at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Many breeds of chickens, plus ducks, pigeons, turkeys, geese.
These bantam cochin youngsters will be in the sale area (unless they sell earlier!) They are from my silver laced project, 4 females and 2 males. If they could all go together, I'm asking $25. Also have 2 younger ones of similar color, $2 each.

Where are you located in Colorado?

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Well, just got in from doing a pre-winter coop cleaning. I spent 3 1/2 hours cleaning it but it's pretty clean and the ladies are so egg-cited.

 

[wsmith]

Havent posted much recently, been very busy with major developments at home. So yesterday we went to the Oncologist, because Beth had been experiencing some new symptoms, and we and the doctor were concerned. He spoke with the Radiologist about the CT and Bone scans that were done earlier in the week. Beth has more tumors in both lungs and also in her chest lymph nodes. She had an MRI yesterday afternoon on her brain, and we don't have the results of that scan yet. As of right now, she won't be doing any more chemo. 181 treatments, over 11 years. Quite the accomplishment I think. When we get the results of the MRI, we will know more and if we need to do anything in that regard. We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers.