Deceased Hen

[Abigail2]

So late last night when we went outside with our dogs to close up the coop, we counted only 5 hens. We have 6. We counted and counted, looked in the usual hiding spots in the garden, in the run, and in the brush. Finally, we saw a sad sight as our Dora; our social butterfly, and animated with personality hen was deceased. The other hens have been picking on her, and puling her feathers, so she was already a little rough looking. But inspecting the crime scene, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her. She was a little ruffled, and my boyfriend pointed out that there may have been a laceration on her neck, but there were no feathers about or blood, so to me it didn't look like an attack. Earlier in the evening yesterday I saw our neighbor and her two dogs in our yard and there was some sort of commotion happening. I could hear my hens squawking, and could see the neighbor kicking and smacking her dogs, and trying to wrangle them, but I didn't notice anything else. I watched her leave the yard, and the hens cam out of the coop and resumed touring the yard. So today we asked the neighbor why she was in our yard, and if she had heard or seen anything because we have a deceased chicken right in the area that I saw her and her dogs. She said they just got away from her for a moment and that she was retrieving them from our yard, and didn't see anything, and added that she likes the chickens... It was about 90 degrees here in North Eastern Ohio yesterday, and it will be just as hot today. So, I don't know how she passed, but she was the favorite of the flock, and I am devastated. Could a predator have killed her, but have left the body, and no signs of injury? Could her flock-mates have killed her with the plucking of her feathers and just all around picking on her? Was it the heat? Or the neighbors dogs? Sadly I don't think I will ever know, but I am curious as to your experiences or if anyone has had anything similar happen.

 

[junebuggena]

Doubt it was the flock. Could have been that she crashed into something when the dogs were there, and between the stress of the heat and the dogs and an internal injury were too much for her.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I'm so sorry for the loss of Dora. It's especially hard when it's a hen with a big personality! My guess would be that it had to do with the dog incident. Dogs will sometimes just leave the hen after they've caught it, since the fun is in the chase. The possibility of her hurting herself in trying to escape, as junebuggena mentioned, is very possible, too. I hope the dog issue isn't recurring for you! I have neighbor dogs who ends up in my yard at least once a month... I can't free range because of them and the fox!

 

[Sara Ranch]

*hugs* Sorry for your loss.

Could you fence your yard in such a way to deter the dogs?

 

[andreanar]

My guess is the dog. Dogs love the chase. Chase and grab could have caused internal injury. There may be puncture wounds somewhere under all the feathers that you cant see. I'm sorry, its always the favorites that we seem to lose.

 

[aart]

My guess is the dog. Dogs love the chase. Chase and grab

Ditto Dat...doesn't take much for a dog to grab a chicken by the neck and break it with one good shake.