Guinea hen dead on the floor of the coop -- I had seen her there a couple hours before, looking as if she was going to lay an egg in a nest she'd scooped out there.
Not a feather out of place, neck thrown back as if she'd spasmed (but might have been post-mortem contractions -- she was already stiff).
Vent area plastered with wet/feces -- I think a good part of her insides. So messy, it was hard to see what may have been under the filth.
She had shown no sign of illness, but was mourning her mate, who was an owl's breakfast four days prior. (My fault that he was out at night -- our first ever loss to a predator.)
My working hypothesis is that she blew out her innards trying to pass what may have been her first egg. This bird was hatched in late July.
I did not have time to really examine her when I found her; tossed the body in the freezer for a future DIY necropsy.
Suggestions? Alternate hypotheses? Necropsy instructions?
This was rather upsetting, even though I've killed and eaten some of her more ornery hatchmates. At least it appears that the end was quick, no evidence of flailing on the coop floor.
Not a feather out of place, neck thrown back as if she'd spasmed (but might have been post-mortem contractions -- she was already stiff).
Vent area plastered with wet/feces -- I think a good part of her insides. So messy, it was hard to see what may have been under the filth.
She had shown no sign of illness, but was mourning her mate, who was an owl's breakfast four days prior. (My fault that he was out at night -- our first ever loss to a predator.)
My working hypothesis is that she blew out her innards trying to pass what may have been her first egg. This bird was hatched in late July.
I did not have time to really examine her when I found her; tossed the body in the freezer for a future DIY necropsy.
Suggestions? Alternate hypotheses? Necropsy instructions?
This was rather upsetting, even though I've killed and eaten some of her more ornery hatchmates. At least it appears that the end was quick, no evidence of flailing on the coop floor.
