My First Loss

[JackieK318]

I just lost my Ameraucana! She was just dead on the coop floor. I do have three roosters in the coop, but didn't think there would be an issue. My Easter Egger roo picks at the Splash Andalusian roo's comb, but I'd never seen him pick on the Ameraucana. I was on the fence if my Ameraucana was a boy or a girl - but it didn't look hurt when I took her out of the coop.

Is there anything I should look for in the other chickens to see if they are actually ill? I'm so concerned that they're sick. Do chickens just sometimes die out of the blue like this?

 

[lacyloo]

im sorry for ur loss :aww

 

[Sharona]

My first thought is whether heat or humidity could have played a part. I'm in southern Illinois and know it's been horribly humid here this week. Any chance one of the roos was trying to breed her? Do all the roos look ok? Wonder if there could have been a fight amoungst the roos and she was caught in the crossfire. I'm just thinking out loud.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[eggchel]

Sometimes they have an illness or injury and dont show any symptoms, they just drop dead.
Im sorry that your Ameraucana hen died suddenly. I know how difficult it is to have an unexplained sudden death in the flock.

I would look the other birds over to see if they have wheezing, coughing, runny nose, dull eyes, ruffled feathers with lethergy, parasites, or lameness (a symptom of some diseases). Watch to see if they are eating and drinking normally, if their poo has blood, worms or abnormal color and check to be sure that your feed is not moldy.

If you have any more deaths, you may want to find out where in your state you can obtain a free or low cost necropsy to determine the cause of death. This can give you the information needed to be able to treat the rest of the flock if needed. You might want to pursue this information in advance of any future problems since the animal specimen needs to get to the lab promptly. Keep any specimens cold but not frozen. This website may help you find a state lab:

http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AnimalHealth/StateVets.htm

In my state, a free necropsy is available (for backyard farm animals) through the Univ of Calif at Davis and several other labs throughout the state. It is called the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab. Commercial farms and ranches pay fees for the services but it is free for backyard flocks.

I hope the rest of your flock is okay,

Chel

 

[JackieK318]

I'm going to have the roos free range today and tomorrow just to be sure it wasn't them. That way I can observe everyone more closely on Saturday when I'm home all day. I was thinking of sending her in for testing, but she could have been there since morning (11pm when I found her) as I just walked slightly in the door in the am, and she was behind the bricks under the waterer. I feel horrible that I didn't do a head count yesterday morning.

I don't remember her looking ill. I tried petting her the other night after I changed the coop, but she ran away (she has never really liked to be held or petted). My partridge rocks do make a ton of noise, but the two of them have since I got them two weeks ago. I don't think they're ill, just vocal. They're on Manna Pro medicated chick starter still. It doesn't look moldy. It's been getting semi-chilly here at night recently (60s to 70s) and I have their fan going (oscillating). I wonder if she got chilled. The fan is only on low and is 8 feet from where they sleep. I am so worried to go down to check on them this morning...

 

[JackieK318]

Ah ha! It has to be Coccidious (sp?)! One of my roos has red poop and doesn't eat anything but chick starter. My barred rock was slow at getting up this morning when the other chicks were running around. AND! I did get some feed mill hens last Wednesday. AND!!! Two weeks ago I had to get unmedicated starter because the feed store was out of medicated!

I did buy some medicine, rushed home from work and treated the chickens. I hope they drink the water quick enough to get treated!!! I did let the roosters free range today so if it was the roosters fighting that killed the hen, they won't kill anymore innocent by-standers...

 

[ohbejoyful]

Good luck Jackie! I'm so sorry about your Americauna.