Is it possible for a rooster to be rough enough, or to possibly do internal injury to a hen while mating? I am unsure of the hen's breed, possibly Black Australorp, and the rooster is a Rhode Island Red and relatively young. The dead hen was the only hen I observed him mating, and she had lost a considerable amount of feathers on her backside. Is it possible that different breeds cannot or should not attempt mating?
On 3/28 I let the chickens out of the coop to forage and the hen appeared fine and had laid a normal egg, and moved about normally. Roughly an hour later I found her in the brush and she did not seem right. She wasn't breathing heavy and had no wounds. When I approached her, she got up and walked to the coop, where she sat down and did not roost. I inspected her closely and she appeared fine but she normally would have roosted. An hour or so later she was on the roost. I was outside and within earshot and eyesight of the chickens the entire time they were out and nothing unusual occured. I did observe the rooster mate with her though but suspected nothing. On 3/29 she was found dead in the coop with no visual injuries. I'm really hoping that it is not disease, and I have not had any contact with foreign chickens or other fowl. My other animals don't bother the chickens, so that is ruled out too.
Any ideas are appreciated.
On 3/28 I let the chickens out of the coop to forage and the hen appeared fine and had laid a normal egg, and moved about normally. Roughly an hour later I found her in the brush and she did not seem right. She wasn't breathing heavy and had no wounds. When I approached her, she got up and walked to the coop, where she sat down and did not roost. I inspected her closely and she appeared fine but she normally would have roosted. An hour or so later she was on the roost. I was outside and within earshot and eyesight of the chickens the entire time they were out and nothing unusual occured. I did observe the rooster mate with her though but suspected nothing. On 3/29 she was found dead in the coop with no visual injuries. I'm really hoping that it is not disease, and I have not had any contact with foreign chickens or other fowl. My other animals don't bother the chickens, so that is ruled out too.
Any ideas are appreciated.
