Hi!
I just bathed my Petunia (light brahma) for the second time in 2 weeks in Epsom salt water, and my hopes for her are dwindling. Probably ascites, or fatty liver - she is among the top hens and gets all the treats and best feed first and is pretty rotund...
I am wondering if loosing 3 hens in as many years (and probably soon the fourth) out of a flock of 14-11 seems excessive or pretty normal?
I have to add that these girls have had a few stressfull weeks for the last two summers: In 2017 our home burned to the ground and they were left behind when we evacuated - three days of smoke (probably a lot of smoke the night we burned down) and little feed and no water, cooped in 80+ summer heat, then the flock had to move out to a friends farm for 6 weeks or so, then move back.
Last summer three weeks of heavy smoke from wildfires again, often in the „unhealthy” zone...
When I think about that, it might be amazing any of them are still alive!? I kept one of my SS and one of my WS with me because they had been pecked to bleeding in the chaotic transport (14 chickens in one small crate - they were in two layers!) out of the evacuation zone - and my SS‘ breathing sounded like Darth Vader, I really didn’t think she’d make it...
Anyway, so I lost one at about a year old (Spring 2017), no symptoms whatsoever, just dropped dead in the run after I let them out in the morning ( Barred Rock). The next one never got out of her mold the winter after the fires and evacuation and eventually just became listless and died (GLW) Spring 2018.
The third one had a bit of runny poop for a couple of weeks but was lively, then suddenly dead (RIR) last Fall.
And now the fourth...
Is this halfway normal, especially considering the circumstances? Or highly unusual?
I am wondering if the smoke exposure is a culprit. It will increase inflammation, so if there is any small inflammation issue, it will make it much worse. Still...
All are from Meyer hatchery btw.
I just bathed my Petunia (light brahma) for the second time in 2 weeks in Epsom salt water, and my hopes for her are dwindling. Probably ascites, or fatty liver - she is among the top hens and gets all the treats and best feed first and is pretty rotund...
I am wondering if loosing 3 hens in as many years (and probably soon the fourth) out of a flock of 14-11 seems excessive or pretty normal?
I have to add that these girls have had a few stressfull weeks for the last two summers: In 2017 our home burned to the ground and they were left behind when we evacuated - three days of smoke (probably a lot of smoke the night we burned down) and little feed and no water, cooped in 80+ summer heat, then the flock had to move out to a friends farm for 6 weeks or so, then move back.
Last summer three weeks of heavy smoke from wildfires again, often in the „unhealthy” zone...
When I think about that, it might be amazing any of them are still alive!? I kept one of my SS and one of my WS with me because they had been pecked to bleeding in the chaotic transport (14 chickens in one small crate - they were in two layers!) out of the evacuation zone - and my SS‘ breathing sounded like Darth Vader, I really didn’t think she’d make it...
Anyway, so I lost one at about a year old (Spring 2017), no symptoms whatsoever, just dropped dead in the run after I let them out in the morning ( Barred Rock). The next one never got out of her mold the winter after the fires and evacuation and eventually just became listless and died (GLW) Spring 2018.
The third one had a bit of runny poop for a couple of weeks but was lively, then suddenly dead (RIR) last Fall.
And now the fourth...
Is this halfway normal, especially considering the circumstances? Or highly unusual?
I am wondering if the smoke exposure is a culprit. It will increase inflammation, so if there is any small inflammation issue, it will make it much worse. Still...
All are from Meyer hatchery btw.
