Help on cause of death for my hen

[Abriana]

I had a hen named Christina who was sick, I was getting help for her on another thread and ordered medicine for her which was supposed to come today. She was not worsening, I was having to force feed her though, which seemed to be helping.

Today when I went out to check on things and give my younger pullet and two cockerels some fresh water, I found her lying under the coop dead. She was on her stomach with her wings slightly splayed out. Her comb was purplish.

I have two buff drakes who live in an adjoining pen separated by an electric fence, which Merry can and does slip through. Although not usually when people are not out there. I found him in the pen when I went out there. I am extremely worried that he tried to mate with her and in her weak state killed her. I’m asking for opinions if you think it was the duck or her sickness.

At this point I think it was the duck and I am very angry and upset. I loved them both a lot as babies but now this added stress is a lot and thinking that he may have killed my girl makes me really really mad. I am not sure if I want to keep them anymore at all but I don’t know how I would get rid of two drakes and I don’t want them to die.

 

[Lovem all]

That sounds like such a hard thing to deal with and I'm sorry for your loss. Can you move mr humpper to a location farther away from the ladies so he cant get there? I had to remove 2 roos because they almost killed my 10 year old.

 

[Abriana]

That sounds like such a hard thing to deal with and I'm sorry for your loss. Can you move mr humpper to a location farther away from the ladies so he cant get there? I had to remove 2 roos because they almost killed my 10 year old.

Thank you

My dad helped me put deer netting over the fence—there’s no way they can get through now. If they escape this then im not sure what we can do but I don’t think they will.

 

[Lovem all]

No problem. I really feel for you and I'm sorry for your loss. If you need anything else I'm here to talk.

 

[Abriana]

No problem. I really feel for you and I'm sorry for your loss. If you need anything else I'm here to talk.

Awww that means a lot. I was feeling really guilty about it but my dad reminded me that hindsight is a lot more obvious than foresight. It was an accident and I miss her terribly but mistakes happen. We immediately fixed the problem so I’m trying to do better in the future.

 

[Lovem all]

That is very true. I'm glad your dad is there to help you get through this and help in general. I know it really sucks loseing our babies. (I recently lost a chicken and a duck in just the past 2 weeks) It does suck but think that if that wouldn't have happened you would be able to protect the others now and he could have done it to more than one or maybe a hawk will stop by in the future and the netting will save them. Everything happens for a reason. She's in heaven waiting for you... and you better give her a treat when you get there lol.

 

[Abriana]

That is very true. I'm glad your dad is there to help you get through this and help in general. I know it really sucks loseing our babies. (I recently lost a chicken and a duck in just the past 2 weeks) It does suck but think that if that wouldn't have happened you would be able to protect the others now and he could have done it to more than one or maybe a hawk will stop by in the future and the netting will save them. Everything happens for a reason. She's in heaven waiting for you... and you better give her a treat when you get there lol.

He grew up on a farm where animals were not pets, but he’s really understanding about the chickens and does everything he can to make things work and keep them safe.

Awww I’m sorry I lost 2 in a week from a hawk. Oh the netting goes around the already existing fence (put it up against one side, that way the ducks can’t squeeze through) , but we do actually have twine strung up over the pen that has kept the hawks away.

Yeah I believe in animals going to heaven. I’ve read a lot of different arguments like our animals can get salvation through us (if we believe and pray for them/believe for them I guess they can go) or because they can’t sin they will get to go, God says animals will be in heaven so I don’t see why our special pets wouldn’t be. I personally think they will be. I have over 30 waiting for me hehe that’s a lot of treats, and by the time I’m done “chickening” there’ll be sooo many more.

I only have 10 chickens right now and soon to be 9 because I have a cockerel I can’t keep. I’m very excited to expand in the spring (as early as possible bc we go on a 3 week vacation every summer so they need to be grown up!), I’ll probably get two more of my own or maybe even three because I lost three of the birds I owned this winter. I’ve been kind of discouraged because 11 died this summer (chicken sitter got mixed up on the days to let them out and accidentally left them in the coop all day, and 11/14 died from the heat and lack of water), then four this autumn/winter. Ive only ever lost one at a time or at most 2/3 a year. I’d cultivated and grown that flock for almost five years and now all the originals except one have died and I was so proud of that flock and really miss them a lot. I feel like I spent so long perfecting it and all my birds had background stories (like the one I found wandering in my yard and took in) and now they’re gone. But I think getting more in the spring will help.

 

[Lovem all]

I have lots of special babies waiting for me to and I miss them all so so much. My dad can be really insensitive sometimes about the birds but whenever one has to be culled he has been amazing and thanks them and talks to them and pets them ect. It's a really hard thing for himto do but when it's necessary he's always there to help them.

I love my originals to death. I only have 2 out of 6 left. Combs and Connie. They are both 10 year old bared rocks. (Sweet Pea passed away in Jan., she was Combs bestfriend and when i found her dead in the morning my poor Combsy girl was right beside, looking up at me like she wanted me to help her sister) They are very old and have had a few moments where I honestly thought the could die but these girls are so strong and amazing.

 

[Abriana]

I have lots of special babies waiting for me to and I miss them all so so much. My dad can be really insensitive sometimes about the birds but whenever one has to be culled he has been amazing and thanks them and talks to them and pets them ect. It's a really hard thing for himto do but when it's necessary he's always there to help them.

I love my originals to death. I only have 2 out of 6 left. Combs and Connie. They are both 10 year old bared rocks. (Sweet Pea passed away in Jan., she was Combs bestfriend and when i found her dead in the morning my poor Combsy girl was right beside, looking up at me like she wanted me to help her sister) They are very old and have had a few moments where I honestly thought the could die but these girls are so strong and amazing.

Yeah at first I think dad thought we’d keep them for a few years and then make them into stew, but he knows 100% that’s not gonna happen! I think he actually enjoys them though.

Awww ten years!! That’s amazing! I’m hoping my almost 5 year old will make it to ten! I’m young (almost 17) and so I’m really worried that they will die before I got to college/while I’m in college. I can’t wait to have my own place and my own flock that I can take care of for the rest of my life. Of course if some of the flock I have now is alive when I do settle down I’ll take them with me, but I don’t know if that will happen! I really hope so!

Aw I’m sorry about your girls I lost a lot of my originals after four and a half years and it felt like I’d had them a lifetime. Having them for ten years is so long, they were lucky birds!

 

[Lovem all]

My dad thought the same thing lol. Once they are named they are to stay lmbo. I'm sure your 5 year old will make it to that old. You sound like a great chicken mama.

We are actually really close in age! I swear on here I'm always talking to someone 3x my age (no offence to all of my friends here!) I have a lot of the same fears and worries about being away from my babies and for when i finally move out. I honestly will have to have chickens no matter where I live. Even if my rooster becomes a house chicken.