One of my girls was dead

[revmichael]

I just went outside to check on the girls a short time ago and one of them was in the run dead. It's a totally enclosed so nothing can get in. And the sides are 1 inch wire mesh.

I found her towards the front of the run and in the corner her head was facing in and on her. Not sure what happened. I think she was my broody one. Had one who the other 3 would not be bothered with at all. She would sit on the eggs before I could get to them and yell at the others to get away. Everytime I'd go out there she was always walking alone while the other three were going for food and/or water. They'd let her eat and drink but kept her at a distance.

Could they have done this to her??? Not sure exactly when this happened but there was no smell yet. One of her eyes was gone and her lower beak was just hanging. I didn't see any feathers outside the run either.

They are just turning 1 yrs old the 2'nd of September. She didn't show any signs of being sick either. I hope the others are OK and that it wasn't an illness.

 

[BantamLover21]

I'm sorry for your loss.

I don't think that a wild predator would have just left your hen's body with little damage, even if it could have gotten into your coop. My best guess is that she died of a natural cause, and then your other chickens "investigated."--resulting in the missing eye and hanging beak.

It is relatively common for chickens to die of heart attacks, or she might have been weak/stressed out from being broody. Sometimes chickens just die for no apparent reason, too. I would observe your flock carefully for the next few days for any signs of illness, but they should be fine.

 

[revmichael]

should I discard their eggs for a few days just in case? or should they be fine? no rooster so they are just for egg laying - 3 (4) barred rocks in an enclosed 4x11 area with a wire mesh roof

I scattered some DE where she was found at and all around the run - she was the noisy one for sure - the others are so quiet now

 

[BantamLover21]

should I discard their eggs for a few days just in case? or should they be fine? no rooster so they are just for egg laying - 3 (4) barred rocks in an enclosed 4x11 area with a wire mesh roof

I scattered some DE where she was found at and all around the run - she was the noisy one for sure - the others are so quiet now

I think it is fine to eat the eggs. She had no obvious disease, and besides, few diseases are transmittable to humans through eggs.