Official BYC Poll: What Are The Top Causes of Death in Your Backyard Flock?

[The chicken nurd]

I haven’t had many chickens but over the last 10 years I’ve had 17 not all at one currently have 12
Here’s how I’ve lost some of mine
1 old age (9 years old)
1 old age/sickness (5 years old)
2 stolen
1 cannibalism

 

[Karen K]

I've only had chickens for a year, but I had one die of coccidiosis when it was 6 weeks old, the others 5 were fine. At about 11 months old I lost one to becoming egg-bound.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

It almost always been predators. Hawks, coyotes, mountain lions, etc. I’ve lost 4 birds in all, 3 to predators. It always seems to be the friendliest ones.

The only time it hasn’t been predators was with a RIR named Ponyo. We believe she had reproductive cancer. We didn’t have a necropsy done though, so we are not 100% sure.

It hurts me to say I’ve never had a hen die of old age.

 

[AnnaWolf]

I've lost 1 to a European Herring Gull, lost 8 to mareks disease. The one survivor moved to a new flock. My new flock of 3 dutch bantams is vaccinated and predator aware.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

If counting chicks, the top cause of death is simply weakness for free range survival and aggression from other chickens.

If counting adults, I am their primary cause of death.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Most of them die from predators. Or when it gest to be 110 outside in the summer.

 

[docteurshepherd]

It makes me feel so bad that I've NEVER had a chicken die of old age. It was always a dang opossum or raccoon or bird. One almost did, she was 4, but she got taken by a hawk. In our backyard. I cried.

*I don't know if it was a hawk or an eagle*

Me too. So sorry.

 

[docteurshepherd]

It almost always been predators. Hawks, coyotes, mountain lions, etc.

It hurts me to say I’ve never had a hen die of old age.

Also same here. Not that I know of or remember anyways. I do my best but I prefer them free range. This year I decided after noticing a pattern of fox getting chickens every spring when they're probably feeding their kits and are the worst, that I'd just lock them up for most of spring every year and let them out the rest of the year. I did so and started letting them out again when I felt comfortable and thought it was safe. Next thing I know, two are gone, my favorite one somehow survived but was injured. I hate it. I guess I didn't wait long enough. Set a live trap but nothing. I don't like to set footholds as I have cats and dogs. So not sure what to do. I guess it's the risk with free ranging but still.. they're SO happy when they're finally let out after being cooped up though.

 

[MichiganFreedom]

My little Lita, my sweet American Staffordshire, thought the two Rhode Island Reds that flew out the top of their wood frame cloth box in the living room (8, 9 weeks old?) were squeaky toys. She was so excited to show me the headless chicken for play in the back yard when I got home! This is what she does to her plush toys, as well.

I only found the one. What's that increasingly foul smell in the house lately?! I can't find it. Must have crawled behind something, so I'll have to tear the house apart.

Funnily, the rooster Brahma was settled down on a stool and Lita just nudged him with her nose, as she had done before with others when they got out, previously and since. She's always curious and keeps track of them. She can't reach the top rim, but all the remaining four (two Reds and two Brahmas) are usually perched on it, and she can bump them with her nose. (That nose bump means "I like this", "I want this" or "This is mine".)

I'm getting the chicken coop repaired that was already at my new country place, planning to enclose the pallet fenced yard with chicken wire, top and all, though it's not my sweet dog I'm worried about. Lita killed a possum under the trailer while we were there earlier this week, and I hear coyotes at night. I'll get some more chicks from Tractor Supply when we get settled in and I can set them up in the box, probably a few of each breed again for year round laying.

 

[MichiganFreedom]

My little Lita, my sweet American Staffordshire, thought the two Rhode Island Reds that flew out the top of their wood frame cloth box in the living room (8, 9 weeks old?) were squeaky toys. She was so excited to show me the headless chicken for play in the back yard when I got home! This is what she does to her plush toys, as well.

I only found the one. What's that increasingly foul smell in the house lately?! I can't find it. Must have crawled behind something, so I'll have to tear the house apart.

Update: I found the other Red, living in the basement, apparently eating the hamburger and maggots on the hamburger that I'd taken out of the freezer and been supposed to go back and get to take up north. I found the hamburger, and when I headed back down with cleanup supplies there she was! Strutting at the bottom of the stairs, healthy as can be! It was about a week.