Did I kill my pullets?

[mrs rachel]

I just purchased 3 pullets (through a seller off Craigs List) the other day. It was a last minute decision to get them--they were selling out. I had a temporary "coop" for them (a large wooden box w/water). I didn't make it to get their feed at tractor supply for one day--so they were getting some scratch grain/wild bird seed, grains from my own kitchen, & water. When I went to check on them this morning, one of the pullets was dead. I immediately removed & buried her, cleaned out the water bowl with a clorox solution & replenished it for the other birds. I gave the two remaining pullets some grower feed (they're about 13 weeks old, according to the seller) and they went crazy.

Did I starve them by not giving them proper food for one day?
Could it have been the shock of being transported?
I have a dog who hasn't touched them, but is constantly watching them -- could the bird have been shocked?

I feel terrible & want to make sure the others are OK.

 

[itom37]

I'm sure the junk food diet didn't hurt them for one day. 13 week old birds peck at the ground eating who knows what all day. My bet is stress from the move/new conditions. How hot is it where they are? A wooden box out in the heat might be an oven... Get them into conditions where they can get in and feel safe (coop) and explore, cool off, peck at the ground, be chickens.

Sorry about the one pullet.

 

[abengel]

Don't feel bad, doesn't sound like anything you did. Chickens are fragile. Sorry about your loss.

 

[Taylor]

it may have been sickly anyway, thats probably why the seller wanted to sell it, but thats just a possibility, there can be a number of things why it died.

 

[chickenlovefever]

Did you notice if her mouth was open? If her neck was somewhat straight, and her mouth was open and her tongue was sticking out, and her feathers aroung her neck were wet or either ruffled, She could have been strangled by a snake. I know you didn't describe that, But I always loose chickens to snakes. They think they can swallow the whole chicken, and as soon as they get to the breast, they have to stop.I have lost about 8 out of this