Lost a favorite hen, questions about the cause of death

[juliechick]

I had a hen die last night. She was my son's favorite that he used for showmanship. She was doing great at Crossroads back in October. After we got home I put her in a pen with some others. I noticed after awhile that she seemed to be hiding out every time I came to check on them. So, I removed her and put her by herself. She ate ravenously. I gave her some vitamin water and assumed she had just not been eating in the other cage. However, she didn't improve though she kept eating and drinking like a trucker. Does this sound like worms? I was afraid to give wormer because I've heard if they are already sick, it can kill them. Looks like I should have tried anyway.

No other symptoms besides being skinny and wobbly.

 

[CMV]

Sounds like it could have been worms. There are some very safe wormers on the market. People often don't want to stress an already ailing bird by worming them, but if the reason it's ailing is because of a heavy worm load, then it would be better to de-worm it ASAP than to let it try to recover first. As you discovered the hard way, worms can kill birds if the load is not controlled.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[chicmom]

That does sound like worms.....So sorry to hear you lost your hen.

 

[juliechick]

Thanks for the replies. I did a necropsy and it was worms. I feel so bad about this! I just gave all the other chickens a dose of Wazine in the water.

 

[chicmom]

Don't be too hard on yourself. Raising chickens is a learning experience, and you didn't mean for that to happen. Now you learned something new!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Sorry for your loss. Follow up in 10 days with a broad spectrum wormer such as safeguard or valbazen.