Lost a Hen last night :(

[shellybean40]

I am so sad. I came home around 9:30 last night and went out to close the chicken door to the coop. I went inside the coop to count everyone and someone was missing!! I ran out to the enclosed pen-and found her-my little 8 week old Fiona, dead with her head pecked terribly. I checked the run and it is SECURE! I went back into the coop and my two 12 week old Roosters both had black feathers on their beaks!!! I don't know if they killed her, or if she died and the damage was after she died? I checked on them at 6pm and everyone was great!! They are outside the pen this morning-I am so afraid they will hurt another of my little hens. I only have what I hope to be 10 hens now, I do not want any roos, but am worried about rehoming these guys. What should I do??

 

[emys]

They might have been trying to mate her at the same time, drew blood and gotten carried away pecking at blood??? Have you seen them acting overly aggressive with any other hens?


If you don't want any roosters, get rid of them! House them seperately NOW. If you can't do it yourself, offer them up free on Craigslist, just be honest about it and say something like: Must go soon Two possibly overly aggressive young cockrels - best in free range or oven range situation.

 

[Scoop]

I would think the roosters did kill her since the run is secure. Roosters sure can be ruthless. Can you take the roosters to an auction or somehow seperate them out? So sorry for your loss. Hang in there!

 

[trunkman]

Sorry about your loss, I lost a 13 week old EE this past week, was a sad night here too...

 

[Ruth Ann]

Sorry about your hen.
I lost one early on...when still a little peep.
Never did know why it died.

 

[epitidios]

I lost one yesterday, and i am trying to save another one. At the moment she seems to be better, but that was the case with one i lost. I hope that i will be able to save this one. I am using a parasite killer (medicine given with the food) and lice/mite powder. When she will start gaining weight, i guess it will be evidence that she is ok.

 

[shellybean40]

Thanks everyone. They are on their way to a ranch where they can free range to their hearts content. I have seen one of them acting aggressive with one of my older hens, but she has the gumption to fight back. I never dreamed they would try and mate with an 8 week old. But, they are similar in size to my Banty Hens, who are 18 weeks old. So, maybe....... Poor little Fiona, she was so sweet. I am haunted by what her last minutes on this earth were like, and how I could have prevented it.

 

[emys]

Don't beat yourself up over it. That is a pretty weird scene you described; I don't think ANY of us would have anticipated that. Normally, you would see signs of aggressive problems build slowly over time. There still may have been some other cause of death we don't know about and the pecking was incidental. Glad you found a place for the roosters and that the rest of your flock is safe.