Lethargic Hen, closed eyes, refusal to drink and eat

[rebrascora]

Oh gosh I'm so very sorry! That was very sudden!

I know it is an unpleasant thought but if she has died and you want to improve your knowledge, you could cut her open and check her organs etc and see if there was an egg stuck or some abnormality. I find it really interesting once you get over the emotional upheaval and it helps me to be able to learn something from their death. It can also sometimes benefit the rest of the flock, because you may find something like excess fat or worms that suggest that you may need to adjust their diet or your management system to help prevent other similar deaths. There are threads here on BYC where we share photos of such examinations and discuss possible diagnosis with other members and it can be an invaluable learning tool, but I appreciate that not everyone can get their head round it. I hope I don't sound too insensitive suggesting this when she has only just died and you must be distraught but it's no good waiting until you have buried her to mention it.

 

[MilleFleurs]

It's alright. I understand. I would do the same thing, but I've already got her wrapped up to be taken and buried for tomorrow. Perhaps on the next chicken I'll experiment. It was just so sudden, and I hadn't experienced this before. This morning before I left all my babes were fine. I opened up the run door, and as usual my two buckeyes were scuffling over one another to get outside. Those two were always the first ones to check everything out and first for everything. I think I'm more emotional than usual because of how sudden it was. I brought a friend home with me, and since it was a warmer day with the sun out, we decided to let them outside the coop to run, and that's when I noticed Precious was very secluded and puffed up, like she was cold. At that time I brought out some scraps and she ate those, I also took some feed with me, and she ate some of it. I went inside to go relax and I would go check on her later, and that's when I found her laying inside the coop not responding to anything so I brought her inside, and the rest was explained. Thank you though. I think I'll go check out the threads with examinations and improve my knowledge. It should help relieve the grief. Thank you for your help Rebrascora!!

 

[rebrascora]

I can entirely understand the emotional trauma of it and just not feeling up to investigating further. So sad when she was just young!

I sometimes leave it a day or two for a necropsy particularly if it was a "favourite", to give me a bit of distance from the tragedy of it. Not much spoiling in these cold temperatures for a few days either .

 

[micstrachan]

Oh no! Poor Precious! I’m so sorry.

 

[WhiteWyan]

Tragic... Sweet chickens are too good for this earth. May she rest in peace.