Death by hornworm?

[jacobballou]

Yesterday one of my 5 EEs ate a tomato hornworm whole and this morning one was dead. I don't know for sure if it was the same one but they have all been fine until this point. I have read that they are fine to eat the worms but could the horn have cut it some how? Or could it be that she didn't have enough grit in her to digest it? Just trying to figure it out.
Thanks!

 

[patman75]

I have given my chickens hornworms and none have died. Sorry I could not be of better help.

 

[spoggy]

Sorry for your loss.

It's very doubtfull the worm killed your EE. I would give the dead bird a thorough going over to make sure that there isn't some visible cause of death. You should open it up and look around inside as well if you're not too squeemish. Check your other birds too, just in case. (don't look inside the live ones

)

 

[krcote]

Quote:

 

[jacobballou]

I didn't see any signs on the outside. Not sure if I'm into looking inside yet. I don't think I would even know what to look for in her. I have just started giving them grit, could it be a lack of grit so the worm couldn't be digested? This is my first year with chickens and I made it 4 months without loosing any so I thought I was doing well.

 

[viktoriacl]

She wouldnt die in one day from not ahving enough grit and eating one thing that didnt get broken down. There are signs when a chick/chicken isnt moving food out of their crop. Had to be something else. Sorry for your loss.

 

[azygous]

Just a thought - have you used any pesticides around where you found the horn worm? Could it have been contaminated with pesticides somehow?

I lost two hens this summer due to pesticide poisoning, and it kills extremely fast. And it took me a day or two of going over everything I had done and where the hens had been free-ranging before I figured it out. It's just not something you think of right away.

A very small amount of pesticide can kill a chicken very quickly.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I'm sorry for your loss. I don't think the hornworm killed it. I've been feeding mine hornworms daily for weeks and haven't seen any ill effects. I do wonder though that it sound like your birds are four months old, yet are just starting to get grit? You might have some issues there. Good luck.

 

[jacobballou]

Thanks for all the responses. All the others seem to be doing fine tonight. I guess I'll just keep a close eye on them for a couple of days.

 

[spoggy]

Quote:
I would still give the ones you have a good going over. Look at their poo under their roost, pick them up and feel along their keel and pelvic bones, make sure they "feel" healthy. Those poofy feathers can hide a lot on a bird. If this is something you're already doing, then excuse this, but it does bear reminding sometimes