FIRST DEAD CHICKEN. (pictures of yellow something by where feathers begin?)

[Brennigan]

Hi, everyone. Husband and I got our first chickens this past February: three hens -- wyandotte, buff orp, and welsummer. They free-range a bit and have a nice 100 square foot pen to roam around in too. We live in the Midwest, but have had some nice weather recently.

Shut the girls in the coop last night, and they were all nestled and fine. This morning at 8AM (a little after light), I let the girls out and only the buff and welsummer came out right away. Our wyandotte stayed in by the door. Four hours later when I went to give them treats, the wyandotte was under our coop, face-down, and dead (from the rigamortis, I would say she's been dead long enough to get stiff!). SO WEIRD.

Husband buried her, I cleaned the coop (all the shavings taken out, the base and roost cleaned with white vinegar and water, and the food/water dishes emptied. I'm worried the other girls might die too.

I wanted to check for any sign of outward attack, but saw none. Checked around her bum and found this yellow discharge, but coming from around feathers. Didn't know if it was bodily fluid being expelled or something that might suggest death?



She was my biggest layer, and I just wanted to check with any seasoned chicken owners that I'm taking the right protocols. Also, how far back do I go with throwing eggs away? And do the other chickens notice? We only have the two now, and the welsummer won't be quiet! It was her nighttime snuggle buddy.

Thank you in advance!

 

[SIMZ]

I'm so sorry your chicken died. It's never easy, but especially hard when you have such a small flock.

I don't have any ideas on why your chicken died. If she wasn't acting sick then I'd go ahead and keep and eat the eggs. Your other chickens will be ok and will adjust. I do think they look for their "friends" for a little while when they're missing. Hopefully, someone else can jump in and give you some ideas to what may have happened to her.

 

[welasharon]

The eggs should be fine. Sometimes chickens just die. I would check the others for any bugs on their bodies. You may want to consider worming them. I do believe they miss their buddies. I had an o shamo cock die and his pen mate withered away. She just lost interest in eating.

 

[Michael Apple]

Hard to tell what the yellow substance is from the pictures. Perhaps it is yolk from a broken egg?

These are poultry lice:

These are louse eggs:

These are mites:

 

[Brennigan]

Thanks, all. The other two girls are doing just fine, so it must just have been something crazy and sudden. Someone did tell me that wyandottes get egg yolk perodontis (? or something like that) since they're so great at the speed of reproduction. Who knows? Just happy my other girls are okay.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks, all. The other two girls are doing just fine, so it must just have been something crazy and sudden. Someone did tell me that wyandottes get egg yolk perodontis (? or something like that) since they're so great at the speed of reproduction. Who knows? Just happy my other girls are okay.

Sorry you lost a bird but I wouldn't think the breed has anything to do with it. Wyandottes are fairly productive but I can think of about many breeds that are much more prolific. If reproduction had anything to do with it, we'd see the problem in Leghorns, Rhode Islands, Australorps, Minorcas, Anconas, Dominiques, etc., and we don't.

 

[Michael Apple]

Thanks, all. The other two girls are doing just fine, so it must just have been something crazy and sudden. Someone did tell me that wyandottes get egg yolk perodontis (? or something like that) since they're so great at the speed of reproduction. Who knows? Just happy my other girls are okay.

I had a Dominique hen that died due to internal laying. I have two Wyandotte hens that are 10 years old, so the breed isn't conducive to EYP or other reproductive problems.

 

[Brennigan]

 



Thanks, all. The other two girls are doing just fine, so it must just have been something crazy and sudden. Someone did tell me that wyandottes get egg yolk perodontis (? or something like that) since they're so great at the speed of reproduction. Who knows? Just happy my other girls are okay. 

Sorry you lost a bird but I wouldn't think the breed has anything to do with it. Wyandottes are fairly productive but I can think of about many breeds that are much more prolific. If reproduction had anything to do with it, we'd see the problem in Leghorns, Rhode Islands, Australorps, Minorcas, Anconas, Dominiques, etc., and we don't.

 



Thanks, all. The other two girls are doing just fine, so it must just have been something crazy and sudden. Someone did tell me that wyandottes get egg yolk perodontis (? or something like that) since they're so great at the speed of reproduction. Who knows? Just happy my other girls are okay. 

I had a Dominique hen that died due to internal laying. I have two Wyandotte hens that are 10 years old, so the breed isn't conducive to EYP or other reproductive problems.

Would you still eat her previous eggs?