Long time lurker, coming out of the coop to ask a question. I’ve had chickens off and on since the early 70’s, and now ranch cattle in the Coast Range foothills of western Oregon, between Corvallis and Eugene. I have 7 hens (no roosters), all around 3-4 years old. 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Orpington, 1 Wellsummer, 1BLRW, 1 Barnvelder, 1 Salmon Faverolle, and 1 Orpington mix (Maybe. I don’t really know). They are not pets, are completely and totally free range, eat Layena 16% crumbles, no scratch or treats, cooped at night, lay wherever they feel like (it’s an Easter egg hunt daily). They are healthy, terrorize the barn cat, beat up the cattle for seeds out of their hay, eat whatever they can catch, lay fairly regularly, several recently moulted and the BLRW and Barnvelder also recently came off a broody streak. They are well feathered, lively and don’t appear to have any problems. However....this afternoon, we had an incident involving a clear air vortex that ripped the barn door off. I heard terrified chickens in the barn, but none appeared to be injured, and all went about their normal business shortly afterwards. 3 eggs were laid, by the Buff, the Salmon and the Welsummer, presumably before the incident. This evening, I came out to find all the chickens cooped, shut the door, and as I was leaving the barn, I saw this. It’s approximately the size of an adult thumb, not slimy or sticky. I turned it over a few times, then went to poke it with my extremely dull knife, and it just slit right open and oozed bloody goo. There appears to be fecal material in the middle of the mess, but it might have already been there. Again, no one appeared to be droopy, off colour or otherwise ill, but they were also asleep. Any help would be appreciated.
