dead hen, very confused

[AV Brahmas]

Mycoplasma is common enough and can be latent in a flock. The discharge is typical also. Stress will bring it out. I haven't heard you mention any stress, though. I would not put too much faith in the friends account of an attack. Most people would think any chicken interaction, like breeding, is violent. You can take a live bird to the necropsy lab but it won't be alive for long. They kill them and pretty much completely dismantle them. You receive a report. Bird goes in the incinerator. Trust me....you want that.

 

[georgeandmildredgoose]

yes, sounds like a similar situation i had with my hens, i took the 3rd one that died to have samples and it did have mycoplasma. we are keeping a closed flock as ours are just pets. brahmas gives good advice in my opinion

 

[didak]

Hi Dave,

I am having the same problem with my chicken at the moment and has also been the case with 2 others recently and over the years. I have a feeling that if she was getting picked on, she may have gone into some kind of shock as they do frighten easily and just didnt have the strength to regain health. My chickens are penned up with two ducks but I let the ducks out during the day and a chicken escaped, I saw one duck picking on this particular chicken the other day and from then on she went downhill and is just hanging on. She just stands there with her comb changing colour and drooping a bit, her tail is down she was shaking her head as well, perhaps breathing problems and I dont think she is eating or drinking. This morning she is just sitting in the nesting box so maybe some quiet time will get her better. Generally if a chicken is sick, all the other chickens will pick on her but this doesnt seem to be happening, but maybe the wound on her leg was another chicken pecking her. Hope it helps.

 

[ddave]

thanks all for your replies. I checked with the local vet, and they want $350 for a necropsy. I said, no thanks. I'll look around more tomorrow for something close. I was planning on picking up a couple more birds this weekend for the sake of having enough eggs in the morning, but it looks like I'll put it on hold and see how the remaining 2 do. Back to $3.50 cartons of eggs.

 

[ddave]

Quote:
Everything was completely normal before the apparent "attack". No signs of stress, they are pretty happy birds free ranging during the daylight hours. No symptoms were noticed, and we observe them quite frequently. After the event, I was looking all over for her and figured she was snatched by a hawk. That's when my friend said she was hiding in between a sheet of OSB and the fence (a tight spot), but that had been more than 2 hours ago. I fished her out and she immediately ran to another hiding spot. That's when I separated her from the others.

 

[AV Brahmas]

"Everything was completely normal before the apparent "attack". No signs of stress, they are pretty happy birds free ranging during the daylight hours. No symptoms were noticed, and we observe them quite frequently. After the event, I was looking all over for her and figured she was snatched by a hawk. That's when my friend said she was hiding in between a sheet of OSB and the fence (a tight spot), but that had been more than 2 hours ago. I fished her out and she immediately ran to another hiding spot. That's when I separated her from the others."

The behavior described is VERY indicative of an attack, but not a chicken attack by flock mates she knows and is familiar with. It is indicative of a predator encounter and most likely a hawk. Most birds, chickens and pigeons in particular, have an instinctive and indescribably intense terror of "the shadow". Once chased by a large Coopers or similar hawk...and they will follow them right inside the building sometimes...the bird can be in a state of near shock. This could cause it to react strangely and make it a target of others. Hawks can harm the bird without it being obvious. Small punctures that become readily infected due to the filthy nature of the predators claws. Your bird could be stressed by an attack, followed by infection which may or may not lead to a latent disease coming forth.

Our old dog, bless him, was the greatest flock master that lived. A huge dope of a dog who could go from 0-30 mph in about 3 seconds from a sound sleep and launch himself in the air high enough to scare a large Coopers into dropping a shrieking Silkie hen. He nearly caught that hawk, but it is the chicken you need to hear about. She ran for cover like a rabbit. When I found her she would not move and only huddled. She ate and drank sporadically for 3 days and then abruptly died. Something to consider even if it is a bit of a stretch. Still....sounds like a near miss by a predator.

 

[ginger c.]

We're very sorry for your loss.

 

[ddave]

Quote:
I think you are spot on. We live in the city, but have a lake nearby and a decent number of hawks around. I let them free range due to the decent canopy of trees in the yard. I need to build a larger run, and this predator problem will be solved. Thanks again all.