BrooklandBarn
Hatching
- Oct 12, 2017
- 3
- 3
- 9
Feeling so sad - yesterday I came home to find my beloved Polish hen Kasha dead. She was in the coop with no signs of trauma. She had been fine the day before and laying at least within 72 hours, but I think she must have been egg-bound. Her vent appeared to be prolapsed, so that’s our best bet (although we didn’t do a detailed inspection - too sad). It’s also possible she over-heated, but it was only 80 outside and they have plenty of water/shade. Our 7 other birds seem totally fine so am hoping it’s not contagious. Just so shocked and so heartbroken.
I don’t think there was anything I could have done to save her, but I am feeling a lot of guilt. I consider myself to be a good chicken owner (though not as hardcore as many of you!), but really want to spoil my flock extra. We’ve only ever lost birds to predators (racoons) before and I feel extra sad one died of a potentially preventable cause.
Here’s what we do now, and what I’d like to do more of...
— Feed: Currently feed non-organic pretty mediocre feed (Home Grown layer pellets). I want to switch to higher quality organic feed.
— Coop: freerange in our urban yard all day, just locked up at night, so I think they’re happy there. Lots of shade for the summer heat.
— Cleaning: We admittedly don’t clean the coop as often as we should - we “deep mulch” but it still gets gross in there. I’m pregnant so it’s been harder to get in there, but I want to clean at least weekly, with fresh pine shavings, etc. I use a nesting box mix with lavender which they like. I also want to keep their waterer nice and fresh. They get a clean dog dish of water every morning, so the water in their coop is more of a backup and it doesn’t get changed as often as it should.
— Treats: they get lots of fresh greens and fruit, at least 4x a week, and occasional mealworms. We literally buy them extra greens at the grocery store, so I think they’re pretty happy there. Any extra special chicken treats, esp in heat of summer?
— Pecking: we have a pecking problem but it’s never been serious/out of hand. It still makes me feel terrible! Kasha who just died was at the bottom of the pecking order and most of her crown feathers were gone. We have two other birds who get mildly pecked on their chests/backs. But it’s never been bloody or down to raw skin. I don’t think they’re overcrowded (coop is supposedly for 12 birds, large run, freerange). I’ve tried protein (cat food), Blue coat, those chicken blinders, but nothing’s been a permanent fix. I don’t think there’s much else to do...
— Supplements: we don’t give them apple cider vinegar, kelp, probiotics, etc. I do put diatomaceous earth in the coop. Should we consider adding any supplements?
Do you have ideas as to how I can make these birds even happier? They lay pretty consistently and have an overall good life, but I feel so much guilt over this dead girl and want to make the rest extra extra spoiled!
I don’t think there was anything I could have done to save her, but I am feeling a lot of guilt. I consider myself to be a good chicken owner (though not as hardcore as many of you!), but really want to spoil my flock extra. We’ve only ever lost birds to predators (racoons) before and I feel extra sad one died of a potentially preventable cause.
Here’s what we do now, and what I’d like to do more of...
— Feed: Currently feed non-organic pretty mediocre feed (Home Grown layer pellets). I want to switch to higher quality organic feed.
— Coop: freerange in our urban yard all day, just locked up at night, so I think they’re happy there. Lots of shade for the summer heat.
— Cleaning: We admittedly don’t clean the coop as often as we should - we “deep mulch” but it still gets gross in there. I’m pregnant so it’s been harder to get in there, but I want to clean at least weekly, with fresh pine shavings, etc. I use a nesting box mix with lavender which they like. I also want to keep their waterer nice and fresh. They get a clean dog dish of water every morning, so the water in their coop is more of a backup and it doesn’t get changed as often as it should.
— Treats: they get lots of fresh greens and fruit, at least 4x a week, and occasional mealworms. We literally buy them extra greens at the grocery store, so I think they’re pretty happy there. Any extra special chicken treats, esp in heat of summer?
— Pecking: we have a pecking problem but it’s never been serious/out of hand. It still makes me feel terrible! Kasha who just died was at the bottom of the pecking order and most of her crown feathers were gone. We have two other birds who get mildly pecked on their chests/backs. But it’s never been bloody or down to raw skin. I don’t think they’re overcrowded (coop is supposedly for 12 birds, large run, freerange). I’ve tried protein (cat food), Blue coat, those chicken blinders, but nothing’s been a permanent fix. I don’t think there’s much else to do...
— Supplements: we don’t give them apple cider vinegar, kelp, probiotics, etc. I do put diatomaceous earth in the coop. Should we consider adding any supplements?
Do you have ideas as to how I can make these birds even happier? They lay pretty consistently and have an overall good life, but I feel so much guilt over this dead girl and want to make the rest extra extra spoiled!
