My favorite girl, Juliet, died yesterday :(

[MamaHenSD]

I noticed how a pale comb and lethargy around noon yesterday and by 4pm she had died.

I normally eyeball my girls in their coop every morning, and I can't remember if I did that and everything seemed normal, or if I missed seeing her in distress. Anyway, I did notice around noon and immediately gave her electrolites and VetRx to buy me time and figure out what she had. While doing that, I noticed in her mouth a white mucus-like stretchy string when I opened her beak. Any idea what that may have been?

A few hours later, I went to the feed store to pick up teramycin and when I got home, she was dead. I am now treating the other girls with this since I'm just not sure what else to do. It doesn't look like any other illness I can pinpoint. One thing I did differently last week was treat their coop with DE (I've read that some thing it's dangerous to chickens' respiratory systems).

I am so sad. She was MY GIRL. Personality galore. Out of my flock of 5, she was the top hen, extremely chatty with me, my gardening shadow, lover of grubs tossed her way. She would climb my son's playset in pursuit of raisins.

 

[hoofpawclawacre]

Hi! so sorry that you nice hen died. I do not know what the mucus thing is all about. Just wanted to comment on the DE; It can be harmful but only if there is a lot of it and it is worked up like a dust storm. I use is everywhere. When nesting boxes are cleaned out and freshened I take out the old grass hay sweep the nest box, cover the floor in DE, then put in the clean grass hay and sprinkle it with DE. I also place DE all around the floor in coop and dust the bottoms of the chickens.

It is hard on us when we do not know exactly what harmed or sickened our birds. Sometimes I think of sending the carcass in to the lab for analysis but it isn't cheap. info here: http://tvmdl.tamu.edu/tests_services/index.php?dept=N&submit=Search


then I think that money can be used in much better ways. I suppose if I had many die unexpectedly I would send one in to find out the cause.

again, so sorry that you nice hen died.

 

[Duhlina]

I'm sorry for your loss. I lost one a few weeks ago who was only 9 months old. I have NO idea what happened. Like you, the day before I spread Sweet PDZ in the coop. I have no idea if it was related or not, but suspect not. I knew as soon as I let them out in the morning that something was 'off' and I separated her and tried giving her molasses water. She passed away overnight. I've lost a couple over the years to unknown causes. It's heartbreaking, but I guess it's part of chicken keeping.

 

[MamaHenSD]

Thank you for your kind, supportive words. Agreed, Duhlina, that it's just a part of chicken keeping--that actually makes me feel better, knowing sometimes these things just happen. She did not have nasal discharge or rattly breathing, so it isn't very clear.

Thanks guys!