MJ's little flock

[BY Bob]

But that's two hens out of five at my house. Is that a high incidence?

I don't know. Of all my losses only 2 have been to reproductive issues but then most of my losses were also in the first 2 years of life. I lost Trisha to complications from egg binding and I lost Daisy, the greatest hen ever, to complications from salpingitis. That is in 8 years. I'm not certain what that means though because of the predator and accidental losses. I don't think I can give you an expected rate.

Try to look at it this way. They are each individuals. Take Sandy.

Sandy was a rescue. She had been treated harshly before she came to live with you and was a production layer. It is hard to compare her to Peggy. They have no correlation in life experience.

Now I am going to be a gentle as I can with this but I do need to maybe pop one bubble that you have. You stated that Peggy came from "good stock" the other day. That is likely so, but, (I am sorry to say this, please don't hate me) I worry that her individual genetics may not be good. The pancreatic insufficiency that she suffers from is a genetic defect. It could be possible there are others. For example, maybe her reproductive tract is missing a bend in it that would limit the bacteria ability to migrate further up and cause problems. I am only speculating here and it is probably not helpful but I don't think you can draw any conclusions between Sandy and Peggy. They are completely different situations.

 

[BY Bob]

It's a "maybe" so I'm just trying to get to the cause in case it's environmental because if so I can reduce it.

I would expect there is nothing you can do or could have done should that turn out to be the case.

 

[BY Bob]

It seems so odd that they evolved that way.

Agreed

 

[MaryJanet]

I don't know. Of all my losses only 2 have been to reproductive issues but then most of my losses were also in the first 2 years of life. I lost Trisha to complications from egg binding and I lost Daisy, the greatest hen ever, to complications from salpingitis. That is in 8 years. I'm not certain what that means though because of the predator and accidental losses. I don't think I can give you an expected rate.

Try to look at it this way. They are each individuals. Take Sandy.

Sandy was a rescue. She had been treated harshly before she came to live with you and was a production layer. It is hard to compare her to Peggy. They have no correlation in life experience.

Now I am going to be a gentle as I can with this but I do need to maybe pop one bubble that you have. You stated that Peggy came from "good stock" the other day. That is likely so, but, (I am sorry to say this, please don't hate me) I worry that her individual genetics may not be good. The pancreatic insufficiency that she suffers from is a genetic defect. It could be possible there are others. For example, maybe her reproductive tract is missing a bend in it that would limit the bacteria ability to migrate further up and cause problems. I am only speculating here and it is probably not helpful but I don't think you can draw any conclusions between Sandy and Peggy. They are completely different situations.

That's a good point Bob. I hadn't thought of that.

I don't really know anything about any of the hens genetic makeup.

 

[BY Bob]

That's a good point Bob. I hadn't thought of that.

Let's try not to jump to any conclusions before we hear from the vet what the real issue is. I don't like to speculate.

To answer your original question, it is not from dustbathing. This is not an environmental issue. There is nothing you can do to their environment to prevent this from happening.

 

[Shadrach]

It's a "maybe" so I'm just trying to get to the cause in case it's environmental because if so I can reduce it.

It's not environmental. It's usually genetic.

 

[BY Bob]

That's a good point Bob. I hadn't thought of that.

I don't really know anything about any of the hens genetic makeup.

Nor I mine, or @Ribh hers. Unless you have the rooster and can track the breeding lines, none of us truly know the genetic stock of our flocks. Obviously @Shadrach does, @Kris5902 does, but the rest of us are really at the mercy of others in the end.

 

[Shadrach]

Harold.

 

[MaryJanet]

I was thinking a mixed breed hen would be stronger but not if she has a greater number of inherited issues.

 

[MaryJanet]

Harold.
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Great photo Shad!