Could the broody have murdered poor Rocky?

[Squeaky]

I just found Rocky, dead, next to the broody hen in the nest the broody's taken over. I know broodies aren't known for playing nice, but is this a sign of foul (fowl?) play? Can a broody actually murder an adult chicken?

Rocky, a hen, was the second bird and outranked the broody. I don't know whether her death had something to do with this big storm, or what. She was in perfect health and had laid an egg this morning.

 

[PlumTuckered]

I'm afraid I have no answer, my Broody Gals have never done anything like this. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry you've lost Rocky :-(

Michelle

 

[basicliving]

I'm so sorry you lost Rocky

I've never heard of a broody murdering another hen. Were there any marks on Rocky at all?

 

[birdlover]

How old was Rocky? I doubt your broody murdered her or you'd probably be able to tell. She may have had a heart attack but only a necropsy will tell. I had one die suddenly at 1 year and I took her for a necropsy. She died from her liver hemmoraging which I have since learned can be caused when they are too fat and they said she was!

So sorry about Rocky.

 

[Squeaky]

Hi,

Rocky would have been a year old in June. She seems very young to have had a heart attack, and she's never been plump. However, today there was a big storm with lightning and thunder, and that may have freaked her out or knocked her off her perch. Or it's imaginable that she picked up a piece of glass or something. It looked almost as though she crawled into the nest to snuggle or something. She was under Nessarose's wing. There wasn't a scratch on her and her eyes were closed.

I wouldn't want to suspect my poor little broody Nessarose of murder.

 

[birdlover]

Actually, from what I've read on here, when they first start laying is one of the times when they are most likely to have a heart attack. Age isn't an issue like in humans. I just love the names you gave your girls. I hope you get a Rocky II soon. Poor Rocky.