I rescued 3 hens and 5 chicks...now only have 1 hen. :(

[2emma2]

I am new to this and rescued 3 hens and 5 chicks a few months. I believe they all came to us around the end of May. Everything was going great and then all of a sudden a week ago they started to die. At first we thought maybe a hawk got them. Though some were still there and a few we never found. We were able to bury 3 of them. There is still one alive. A week and a half ago I gave them half a watermelon that was a few days old. Could this have killed them if the watermelon was going bad? I miss my chickens

Now I feel bad for the only one left and need to get her some friends soon. Although I am worried that she won't make it much longer either!

 

[chi-rn]

Unless the watermelon was moldy or rotten, it's unlikely that's the reason for their demise. Hard to say what happened with just the info you gave. If no signs of trauma, unlikely that predator was problem (unless the stress of being spooked was enough)-- at least for those whose bodies were found. I have found the "Raising Chickens for Dummies" book available for sale on this site to be an invaluable resource for keeping my girls safe & healthy as possible. This forum is great, of course, but the book gives the foundation to go forth with as much confidence as possible. I've read it through, but it has become standard bathroom reading material at our house! Check a resource to be sure you're giving the best diet, environment, & security (including biosecurity) for your flock. The book will help with that. (I'm actually not on commission-- just found the book to be a good resource.) You may never get a for-certain answer, but when you do everything you can do for your flock-- you simply have to let it go. I'm so sorry about your losses...

 

[drumstick diva]

How did you come to rescue them? Where they abused or kept in bad circumstances? I ask because it may shed light on any health problems you may not have noticed when you first got them. Maybe they had worms, or lice/mites, or were exposed to some illness which didn't take hold until you had them awhile.

 

[2emma2]

They were abused. Though, last night we figured out the problem. We saved our last chicken from a raccoon. We didn't see how it was possible for an animal to get in but we found it. We fixed the problem late last night after being woken up by the raccoon trying to get our chicken. We rushed up as soon as we heard and scared it away and fixed the problem. I am so thankful to save this chicken. Still so sad about the others but I guess this is how you learn. Now I need to get some friends for my lonely hen and fast!