Helga died. Are the other chickens in danger?

[LarissaCluck]

So my EE Helga kicked the bucket this weekend. I had noticed she was getting thinner for a few weeks but thought maybe I was just imagining it. She also stopped "crowing" in the morning but was still laying.

Friday I noticed she was really week and stumbling and her comb was pale. By Sunday she was dead (well nearly, I put her down). I NEVER saw any coughing or runny nose, so I am HOPING it was just old age.

My in laws had her for four years and they told me this weekend they got her as an adult from someone else, so I am hoping she just had reached the end of her life, but I don't know.


I have two banties left in the coop, one silkie and one silkie cross. They don't appear to have any symptoms and look healthy. Should I leave them there, or do I need to take other precautions?

 

[speckledhen]

She probably just met the end of her days, if she's over 4. She could have been laying internally (they get very thin with that) or had a liver malfunction, just anything. If no one else is showing symptoms, I wouldn't worry too much. Sorry you lost her, though.

 

[LarissaCluck]

THanks for your thoughts Cynthia. She was a very funny hen with her loud crowing and protecting of the other girls.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm sorry to here about your loss. She really kept laying for a long time.

I would just keep an eye on the other chickens, and change out the bedding. I suppose I would check them all carefully for mites, too.

Others might have more feedback...

 

[geebs]

Mites, lice, or Cocci.. or worm overload.. the pale comb and the loss of appetite... Cocci or worms... Yes the others are at risk... Check them over carefully.

 

[LarissaCluck]

Ok I am ruling it old age as the others look perfectly healthy. I also *thought* she was laying, but I am getting the same number of eggs from my two remaining chickens! I inherited these chckens back in January and was wondering why all my eggs were fairly small, thinking that EEs produce somewhat larger eggs. I think just my hatchery silkie and silkie x just lay quite a bit, and slightly bigger eggs than expected.

Who'd have thunk!

 

[speckledhen]

You should always keep an eye out for external/internal pests, of course, but in absence of that, at her age, she probably just went on to that Great Roost in the Sky. I'm losing my 5 yr old BR today. She hasn't laid an egg in a year, her comb is dark and her crop isn't processing feed. It's hard to lose them one by one, but most of the time, there's nothing you can do. Never had parasites here, at least external ones. Worms show up in a flock from time to time and you just deal with it as it happens; mostly it's 24/7 penned flocks that get the worst worm loads. Free rangers seem to be overwhelmed by worms less, perhaps because they find natural wormers on range.

 

[schellie69]

sorry for loss, I would think she just got old. To speckledhen sorry about your hen also.