HELP: 2nd Dead-- NOT EGGBOUND-NOT PROLAPSE- what is it?!

[huck]

We had to cull our 10 month old buff brahma last week. I thought she had a prolapsed vent and was egg bound... but I'm having my doubts because I just found a 2nd hen dead in the yard.

This second one was an 11 month old Amber Star, no previous medical issues. Upon examining her body--- her bottom is bloody, but there are no other signs of trauma or prolapse. Her head was also bloody-- but not from injury--- I think she was pecking at herself (something that the brahma had been doing, too). She had been laying regularly without a problem at all and was acting just fine this morning. Her body was still warm, so she must have died this afternoon/evening.

What is going on?

Could this be some infection?

Perhaps not related to reproduction, but GI?

Are my other hens at risk? All poops look normal. They've all been eating normal feed/scratch and shell and digging in the compost for worms.

I feel like a failed chicken keeper--- and this is NOT what I wanted to encounter on my BIRTHDAY NIGHT!

PLEASE HELP. I don't want to loose any more.

EDIT: we just found an incredibly bloody egg in the yard--- egg is intact, not larger than usual. Just covered in blood.

 

[WilczenskiFarm]

Hopefully it was from your 11mo old dead chicken...
I'm not that experienced, but I do know that the BYC crew here likes you to answer the following questions in order to try to help you out:

Give us the following information. The more you tell us, the better we will be able to help you.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use

 

[huck]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. --- 11 month old Amber Star.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.---- DEAD. Bottom covered in blood. Not prolapsed. Head covered in blood--- as if she was pecking at herself. Found 1 normal sized egg in the yard covered in blood-- it must be hers. It was on the opposite side of the yard from her body, though.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? She was fine this morning. The body was still warm when I found it--- so she must have just died this afternoon/evening.
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.-- bloody feathers/vent area. No prolapse. Blood on feathers surrounding head, but no injury there.
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.--- no idea. she was laying normally before... has been for months.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.-- eating fine, drinking fine. Layer crumble, shell, and scratch, and compost wormies.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.-- poop's normal.
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? She's dead.... no treatment. Just wanna know what's going on and if my other birds are at risk. Had to cull another bird last week with similar symptoms-- thought she had a prolapsed vent.
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? DIY
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. No pic.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use-- they have a little 4X4 coop and a nice fenced in yard. Bedding is deep litter pine shavings.