I think a yellowjacket sting killed my Rhode Island Hen

[Momo]

Unemployed Chicken, I agree totally with jhm47. I'm an EMT too and in addition have had trouble with allergies and anaphylaxis (have used epi on myself). Your body is way too reactive to the sting. The next time you get stung it may be minor ... or it may be like the last time ... or it may be your life. You need to carry an epi pen and you should also make sure you have liquid Benadryl on hand (it works faster than the chewable tablets, which in turn are faster than the capsules). Your doctor can advise you on the dose but we would typically give 50 mg to an adult (in my neck of the woods that's 4 teaspoons). The Benadryl will stop the reaction but it takes 15-20 minutes to kick in. The epi will put a nearly immediate stop to the reaction but it will start wearing off in 15-20 minutes. So the epi is the immediate life-saver for someone who is having trouble breathing, low blood pressure, losing consciousness etc. If I were you, I'd be hitting the Benadryl as soon as I got stung and I'd be ready with the epi if needed. (Oh and I suspect that the YJ probably didn't kill your hen; not saying it's not possible but just not so likely.)

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Quote:
Will do, really, totally appreciate all the concern and great information. I had my boyfriend read all of this in addition to the research he's done on his own and we are going to get the epi as well as have plenty of benadryl and other histamine stoppers. It's right now every summer that they are out and nasty, then by Oct they are gone but we do alot of hiking so plan to add these things to our aid kit as well. Thanks again....

 

[sundance300]

Wow, I had a similar experience. Chickens were still new to me at the time.

A guy had abandoned a flock of hens (he moved back to Kentucky), and a family friend has gotten his permission to take them. She promised to give them a good home with her 'farmer friends.
She dropped off 3 Rhode Island Reds, two bantams of unknown breeds, and I forget what the other one was.
It was fall, I found one RIR dead in the pen. No outward signs of injury. Healthy weight, nice plumage... I figured she must have either died of a heart attack or maybe some internal infection. I sorta brushed it off.
Few weeks later, I found the second RIR 'dead'. She'd been fine when I fed them that morning. I drug her out of the dogbox with shovel. I went to pick her up and she woke up, tried to stand, made a weird sound, violently convulsed a few times, then died. It was more violent than the death throws I'm familiar with, even now after having them a few years.
I felt bad for treating her like that in her last moments, but freaked out by the happenings. Made me wonder about the first RIR.

I was waiting for the final Red hen to kick the bucket the same way. I figured it was maybe a RIR thing as everyone else (silkies, bantams, and polish) seemed fine. Only deaths for 3 years was via predation.

My last RIR is still alive. I don't know anything about their history, except possibly they were battery (is that the right word?) hens. The remaining RIR, Ugly, was bald and has a clipped beak, her tongue sticks out. She's since grown in her feathers (took two molts, surprised she survived the winter). The other two were beautiful, so I'm not sure if they came from the same place or not.

Could it have been a bee in my case? Possibly, if one avoided the frosts at that time. Both died around the dog box, so it's possible a nest was near there. But I never was harassed by any bees or wasps around there, then and now.

One of my EEs learned about bees the hard way, she snatched one up off of a clover flower. Stung somewhere in her mouth. Besides shaking her head like a crazy, she came out of it fine.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I was really hoping for you and for denicerlewis that someone would give some more insight or experience.... Seems to be differing opinion on whether it's possible or not. Time of year on yours is correct, it's late summer/early fall that they are mad as hell and about to die and stinging everyone..... Hope to find more info.....