Muscovy Hen Died....Old Age?

[Bleenie]

I few weeks ago I adopted a small flock of Muscovies from a nice older lady, she never did tell me how old they were, but they were all obviously mature birds. The black hens were laying when i got them but the rest were heavy in molt. They were/are all very wild and were never handled, i never had help to clip wings so they have just kind of run amuk since they got home after i felt okay with opening the coop (after they were locked in a few days). some girls sleep on the roof, others on the fence, etc.

I lost a couple girls, i assume to predators because they refused to go in the pen at night. I rehomed the 2 drakes So i was finally down to 2 Black hens & 3 Chocolate Hens.

In the last week, maybe longer, a couple of the Chocolate hens have gotten much more comfortable here, with people around the yard and the dogs and stuff. i was very happy they were settling in and was really considering keeping the ones that settled in well and ended up being kinda friendly.

1 hen walks around with my drake Sidney, gets treats from me..from a "safe" distance anyway, lol. and the other has been resting a lot lately, near the flower bed..kinda the main walk way for everyone. It's a nice, shady spot under a Maple tree by a small Azaela, i guess a safe feeling spot. she has also been resting/sun bathing out in the yard too and sleeps just outside the pen at night.

I got up this morning and looked out the kitchen window to see her in her "regular" spot but obviously something was not right. very akward position and i hit the window a couple times and she didn't move.. i knew it when she didn't move so i went out and picked her up. She was stiff but a little stretched out(?) almost like her body just 'released' there at the end. her caruncles looked purple but it was not cold last night, my fluffy babies sleep with the adults now and theyre all fine.


Anyway, i wont talk about how she looked anymore, it was very sad. Obviously no predators got her, we have no snakes. do you think it was just old age? She will be burried as soon as we get back (i have an appt this morning). thank you guys.

 

[slackwater]

I don't know, but I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

So sorry to hear that, Bleenie. It's hard to know what she may have died fm, whether old age or some infimity since you don't know her history. Still sad though when you lose one even though you may not have had them very long. Glad she had someplace safe and cool to ride out her last days though.

 

[ultasol]

Bleenie,
Aren't these the girls you just adopted for sale omn craigslist: http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/grd/1864952519.html? If one just died, you might want to pull them to be cautious.

 

[Bleenie]

They are the ones I adopted. I know it was nothing environmental though. i have been watching the other girls all day and they're as flighty as ever. I "cheked out" the girl that passed away and could find nothing internal wrong with her so I am pretty sure they are just old, the Chocolates anyway, the Blacks are all very young-looking and Active, breeding and otherwise.

Every one of the Chocolates is on molt right now but the 3 i have left are all still pretty active, not like the girl i lost, she was Always napping. The Chocolate drake was also not sexually active and most of us know how crazy muscovy drakes get around new girls, he just acted older, like my friends senior drakes...kinda just hung in the back with a couple girls but never bred anyone.

I traded the boys to a friend and i may just end up doing the same with these girls, I really just posted the ad in hopes of finding this lady that bought some hens from me a couple months ago and wanted me to call her when i had more for sale but i lost her number.