Lost my First -What Did I do Wrong?

[aart]

I think for 6 they do have plenty of room though in our set up to discourage fighting?

Space look OK.
Might 'clutter' things up a bit for diversion.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

I too lost a bird to a scuffle, thinks she flew into run wall and broke her neck.
Even birds that get along OK, can fight once in a while.....
...or drop dead for no obvious reason.
It's never easy, but don't beat yourself up about it.

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

so sorry. maybe egg bound or mareks?

 

[vantain]

Space look OK.
Might 'clutter' things up a bit for diversion.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

I too lost a bird to a scuffle, thinks she flew into run wall and broke her neck.
Even birds that get along OK, can fight once in a while.....
...or drop dead for no obvious reason.
It's never easy, but don't beat yourself up about it.

I'm thinking this may be what happened to my sweet Orpington. Of course it could have been a heart attack, but they are a little more confined in the coop, when that door to the run is not yet open in the morning. One of the more assertive hens may have caught her off guard and spooked her. The corner of the coop where I found her is a little more confined, with the poop board above, and a ramp as well. It's certainly a possibility.

 

[vantain]

Dixie was the smallest and last to lay but she didn't isolate. We also had 1 of the flock lay some soft shell/balloon looking eggs under the roost 5 days in a row a few months ago but that resolved and we never figured out which one was laying them.

No rats or signs of rats that we have seen. Their coop has an attached run that has a solid roof and has 1/4" hardware cloth screwed in between frames and there is also a buried perimeter skirt covered in rocks. We changed their water and made sure food was full before we left for the weekend.

Yes, the others are healthy. I suppose there's a possibility of a pecking order skirmish happening? They normally get to free range during day hours and it was the first time (since they were really young) that they were locked in for a several days straight together. I think for 6 they do have plenty of room though in our set up to discourage fighting?View attachment 2527139

That's a gorgeous coop!

 

[3KillerBs]

I second the need for clutter.

There's nowhere in that open rectangle for a chicken to hide from another chicken -- showing proper submission to the dominant bird by getting out of sight.

 

[Mrs. K]

What did you do wrong? Nothing, sometimes they just die. No need to beat yourself up.

 

[B-Goock]

I asked about her size because sometimes it's an indicator of birth defects or someone in the flock keeping her away from feed. Chickens can be mean as crap & single out the weakest. Also the possibility of getting egg bound due to her petite size.

Like your set up. Really pretty. Chickens don't need much to be happy but we sure like our yard ornaments.

 

[CSolis]

Consider it could have also been a heart attack. I found one of my young pullets in the pen laying there cold... but alive. I brought her in, tended to her needs including B vitamins in the event it was that.. but 2 weeks later a big flutter in her cage and I went in to check. She was dead in the space of less than 2 minutes. Some times they have weak hearts and it happens.