Hi from Tennessee

[Herbfarmer]

Hi all,

My first chickens are 10 months old now and started laying in the dead of winter. I started with 6 New Hampshire Reds and 4 Buff Orpingtons. One of the Buffs died a week ago Wednesday. She was fine at 1pm and gone at 4:30 with no sign of anything wrong. I'm guessing heart failure but now I'm questioning everything I've been doing.

I spent a lot of time here reading up before I got them and after worrying when one of the girls sat in her nesting box for over 2 hours today I thought I'd join up. (She has since gotten up.)

Kate

 

[sourland]

Hi, Kate, welcome to BYC. Sudden death without symptomss just happens sometimes. Perhaps a congenital problem or heart attack. Good luck with and enjoy your flock.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided join our flock. I'm sorry about the loss of your Buff Orpington. Once in a while a chicken will just die for no apparent reason. It's known as sudden death syndrome. It's always sad to lose one of our flock. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.

 

[Herbfarmer]

Thanks for the welcome! I am enjoying the flock, or "the girls" as I call them.

I appreciate this resource - thanks for being here.

 

[mymilliefleur]

✿ Hello and Welcome to Backyard Chickens Forum! ✿
Glad you decided to join! Feel free to ask any questions you may have!

Where in Tennessee are you? So sorry for you loss! It happens some times! I lost some like that too.

Enjoy your flock and have a great spring!​

 

[Herbfarmer]

✿ Hello and Welcome to Backyard Chickens Forum! ✿​

Glad you decided to join! Feel free to ask any questions you may have! ​

Where in Tennessee are you? So sorry for you loss! It happens some times! I lost some like that too.​

Enjoy your flock and have a great spring!​

Middle TN, NW of Nashville. I adore Spring and the girls are loving the chickweed and other "weeds."

Thanks for your good wishes and Merry Spring to you and your flock!

 

[drumstick diva]

Buff orps tend to go broody - which means sit on the nest of eggs and hatch them. So a hen that stays on the nest and doesn't want to budge may very well be broody. The hen may also puff up, and growl or peck anyone approaching her nest. They usually don't want to leave the nest to eat/drink or poo. They need to put out 2 or 3 times a day for short periods so they can attend to their own needs.

If you don't have any roosters, you would not have fertile eggs. Broodiness is a hormonal thing, some hens will sit on rocks, or nothing at all, and think they need to hatch babies.
Rather than let them get run down sitting on nothing that will hatch, there are ways to"break" them of broodiness. Though some will persist and start over. OR you can buy some fertile eggs (any breed) and put them under a broody/ She would hatch them and raise them as her own.

 

[Herbfarmer]

Good to know about the Buff Orps! She did exactly what you said when one of the Reds looked in on her while I was cleaning the poop board. They like foraging more than the Reds so I was surprised and concerned when she didn't join the others during free range time. Then at the next outing, pre dinner, it started pouring rain and all the others came to eat and I had to go fetch her.

Thank you so much! I totally can understand being ruled by hormones.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Middle TN, NW of Nashville. I adore Spring and the girls are loving the chickweed and other "weeds."

Thanks for your good wishes and Merry Spring to you and your flock!

Thanks! I'm in South Eastern Tennessee, which is why I asked.

Chickweed is one of my flocks favorites too, it's a good thing I have so much of it.