dead jersey giant hen... why????

[ladrholman]

Came home today to my husband telling my my Jersey giant hen was dead. She was fine yesterday and this morning.... actually laid an egg today. She was about 6.5 months old and has been laying eggs for about a month. Last few days they have been getting bigger. My husband found her under the bench in the coop. He actually thought she was just sleeping since she was sitting there with just her head forward. Feet still under her, no signs of distress. Was still warm too. She was gaining weight, eating and foraging normally. She is the latest in my deaths... all seem from different causes. The only thing odd, besides being dead.... was that there was yellow fluid around her vent area. ? Yolk? Could she have been egg bound after laying an egg or just died from heart issues or something.... ?
I am starting to think that I am not meant to raise chickens... any help would be appreciated.

 

[PunkinPeep]

So sorry for your loss!

Take heart and don't give up.

It sounds like she did have an egg-laying problem, which happens to all of us. And there was really nothing you could have done about it. I'm so sorry you lost her. I know how disheartening that can be.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

I can't be of much help as to why, but, sadly, I have now learned...chickens just die. Most of the time, without much warning. It sounds like she might have started to have laying issues. The only other thing you could have done was put on a rubber glove and checked inside post mortem. I had a prolapsed hen and could reach in and feel the egg when she had one...long story. ANyway, so sorry about your girl. it is frustrating because we just want answers, but, if she showed NO signs of anything else and was healthy, then I wouldn't worry about something that is spreading to the other girls. There is nothing you could have done...you had no idea. Sorry and keep the faith. I feel like that sometimes too...especially when there is a loss. I just had a loss that I had thought I had nursed back to health and then she still passed...hard.

 

[grasjm36]

I've lost two today...one commited suicide and the other is a mystery too...

Keep it up though. Chickens are the best to have around and it's all a learning experience. As with anything else theres good days and bad

 

[valsey]

Quote:
Suicide?

 

[ladrholman]

Thanks, her eggs went from smallish pullet eggs to very large egg these last 2 this week. Probably doubled in size. Not sure why such fast change either. So I can understand if it was an egg things. The disheartening part is that she is my 9th (out of 30 total)loss since I started with chickens the end of May. Some with similar deaths (? cocci), but others with odd and strange sudden deaths. I also currently have a RIR roo who has lost an eye and does not seem to be managing with the loss of vision very well. I also question brain injury with the loss and swelling since his movements are off and he does not seem to be aware when he has food in his beak on the affected side. We keep asking ourselves what we are doing wrong. Is there something they are getting into. My breeder that I get my girls from is amazed at the "bad luck' that I keep having. Does not seem possible to have so many things go wrong. She sent me a nice article on the emotional side of chickens... http://www.nsppa.ca/articles.html ... thanks again. Hoping for good luck to shine on me.

 

[newbiechickenowner]

can they get into anything ? Is there a common symptom that could link them all?

 

[ladrholman]

they have free range of the yard. It could be anything I guess. But we don't use chemicals or pesticides or anything. I need to learn more on what plants and such can harm chickens. Does not seem to be any specific link since they were all different ages, different breeds, different time frames and mostly different final presentations. I think Jersey Girl was quite possibly an egg things. I was really surprised at how much bigger her eggs were this week from last.And since she did not appear to have moved after sitting down I assume it was very sudden. No seizure like activity. As a note she laid a "rubber egg" about a week or so ago. And possibly one this last weekend. Saw her lay the first one, but not the last one.