DEAD AMERAUCANA FOUND IN NESTING BOX-PRIOR WEIRD BEHAVIOR

[seattlechixx]

We had a beautiful ameracuana that gave us gorgeous green eggs [Carmen]. The last week we had noticed she had wanted to be on her egg or sit on even the other chickens[4] eggs. We also noticed that she would "puff up" like a turkey whenever we tried to remove her or even when we would try to pick her up- even out side of the coop. I also noticed her egg production slowed. After reading up, I figured she was broody so I put her in a cage up in a tree for 1/2 a day - it was shaded with access to food and water in the cage- They said to do it for 3 days but we were in a heatwave so I only did it for a few hours. I fugured with the heat it would be torture and I would try it again later in better weather. That was 2 days ago. Today she was found on one of her green eggs dead. I was wondering if you think I stressed her out too much, or can they die if they are too broody- or if there is something else happening with the puffiness- like an egg stuck inside that can't get out? -- Heartbroken in Seattle

 

[seattlechixx]

I also noticed her top comb was a bit dry and shriveled like how it looks when they are molting- she was about 1 year old. The other chickens seem fine but do you think that she might have been sick? I hope the others don't get it... help?? Advice??

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Maybe she was egg bound? it really does sound like she was.


Was she loosing feathers on her belly? Was her abdomen swollen? Did she have loss of appetite?

 

[seattlechixx]

I did notice that some of her feathers on her stomach were gone around the leg area. Patches of her flesh were visible on her stomach by the groin I had held her and looked her over well before putting her in the tree cage. What is the course of action if a bird becomes egg bound? she waz still eating alot, poor thing.

 

[seattlechixx]

I read up on how I could have given her a bath. massage, etc.
I guess my question now is could a bird die when they are not
remedied of being egg bound? Even if she laid an egg before she died- was there one possibly still stuck in there?

 

[chickensioux]

So sorry for your loss. How long was she broody? Puffing up when you took her off the nest is a defense mechanism. They don't want you to take them off the nest. If she was broody for a long time, she may not have been eating and drinking like she should.
When mine are broody, I always take them off the nest and make sure they eat and drink every day. My girls eggs are not fertile so I just have to make sure my girls eat and drink.
Again, so sorry for your loss. I love my ameraucanas too.

 

[seattlechixx]

she was broody for about a week.
Maybe between that and the heatwave
she became dehydrated but she was still eating.
My husband disposed her body for me I was too
upset, but now I wish I had checked her to see
if she had an egg inside her abdomen. This is the
2nd loss from out first ever batch of chicks. 1st one
died froma hawk attack as a teenager. I just figured
she was broody- I feel so awful now that i could have
saved her if she was eggbound.

 

[Judy]

I wouldn't think of eggbound first, because it certainly sounds like she had gone broody, so the egg laying process should have stopped. She could have had a cancer of the egg producing tract, for example, and no doubt any of several other things. Good chance there was nothing you could have done for her.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[chickensioux]

It really does not sound as if she were eggbound. They tend to stand up straight and waddle like a penguin. Their bellies can be distended and they appear ill.
They can get dehydrated very fast and if it ever happens, there are alot of things you can do to fix eggbound. Make sure that they get grit with calcium. A good treat for them is plain yogurt. But sometimes no matter what you do, you may have a loss that is unexpained or even explained. Try not to blame yourself. It does hurt to lose one tho'