Has anyone had this happen before??? :( (Feather strangulation hazard)

[RooptyDoo]

I have a silkie that just hatched out 6 out of 6 eggs. She has been a very good momma to the little babies. I went to check on her (she is in the house and I had just been in there a couple of hours before and all the babies were eating ) I wanted to hold her so I picked her up and.......

There was a baby stuck in her feathers (it was dead). When we picked her up the babies weight pulled the one little feather that he was stuck in out. The feather looked like it was twisted up and it had had another feather twisted in with it. After the baby fell out of her feathers we looked and the feather had been caught under one of the wings and then around the neck.

It strangled itself and it was already starting to get stiff. This is horrible. I am so sad. Never thought that this would happen. Has anyone else ever had this happen???

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, no! What a freak accident! I'm so sorry about the little one.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I'm so sorry. I'm sure that was terrible to find. I have never heard of anything like that happening before.

Again, so sorry for you loss.

 

[redhen]

wow..i'm sorry to hear that!...i've never heard of it..but i know nothing..really...someone else will chime in to help..just wanted to say sorry about the baby!..

 

[M@M@2four]

Yep, I almost had this happen with my silkie mommy--she had a couple feathers matted together and a silkie baby's neck got caught. She jumped out of the box to get something to eat real quick and luckily I was in there and heard the baby cheaping under her. I scooped her up and the baby's neck was caught in the loop of feathers. If I hadn't been there, I'm surer it would have died--it was dragging it around. I took them out after that and placed them in a safe warm brooder.

I'm sorry that happened!!!

 

[birdlover]

Not with chickens but I had a similar thing happen with cockatiels. One of the babies got caught in the mom's feathers and was dragged out of the nest box. I found him ALIVE on the floor and was able to put him back but only because I must have come along right after it happened. I shuddered to think what might have happened and I know how awfully upsetting this is for you. I am so sorry. It is just one of those freak things. Take care. (Where is the hugging icon?!)

 

[RooptyDoo]

Thanks guys hope this nevers happens to you.

After that happened I took my fingers and fingercombed her feathers. Do you think I should take momma out? I hate to take her away from her babies because she is a good momma.

 

[peepsnbunnies]

Yes! I have had this happen twice! The same hen was involved both times, I have not had any other hens have this happen. The first time it happened I noticed one of the chicks had a wing that was hanging down. I brought it in the house and had to wet the feathers so I could see what was wrong, the hens feathers were twisted around the upper joint of the wing and it was cutting off circulation, the wing was cold and swollen. I got the feathers off and kept the little girl in the house for a few days. The wing never died but it is not right either, she could not extend it and it stuck up a little on the side.

The second time it happened it was the same hen, but with a different clutch of chicks. I was in the coop and the hen came out of the nest box and a chick was hanging underneath her! I knew immediately what was wrong and I scooped up the hen and gripped the feathers that were around the chicks neck and pulled them out, then I was able to get them from around the chicks neck without fighting a mad hen and injuring a baby.

I have not had this problem with any of the other hens, only this one.