Hen and chicks all dead in cage

[slimchicken]

Thanks for your comment, Aleta. I have been wracking my brain since I found them yesterday. I went through my motions the day before, smelled the waterer (though I gave same water to a bunch of peeps and a hen only 16" - 18" away from them). I fear I will never know, which means I'll always be worried that it will happen again. Your suggestion is a good one though. I hadn't really thought about that since I don't think it was any sort of disease.

 

[Sycamore27]

Just a note about getting a necropsy done, you can refrigerate a carcass for examination but don't freeze it. You'll kill any organisms that might be responsible.

Cheers,
Jessie

 

[TwoCrows]

Most definitely get an necropsy if you can. When ever you have no idea what killed your birds, the best thing you can do for yourself, your birds and any future birds is to get a necropsy. And follow Sycamores advice, refrig, do NOT freeze bodies.

 

[AletaG]

Thanks for clearing up the freeze vs fridge. My expertise (what's left of it after so long away) is in plant disease research, and there are many plant diseases that preserve better on freezing, often the colder the better. I can totally understand the panic of the moment is to try to keep *it* whatever *it* is away from the rest of your flock, and there was a reason for burning cholera and black death victims.

But, if it is some sort of poison, that would be very good to find out...

Good luck, and I pray we don't hear about it again, because it doesn't happen again.

-Aleta G.