please read this before you consider sand

regajabar1

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Hello Everyone,

Thank you for all your great advise and support. We are new to this lifestyle and can use all the tips and advise you have to offer.
We initially purchased two laying Cochinas and one 5-week old Polish hen. They took to the yard and the coop immediately and everyone got along. One of the adult hens even too the little Polish one under its wing and was very motherly towards it. Unfortunately, three weeks after we purchased the hen, our Polish hen woke up observedly lethargic and died writhing 24 hours. We are so sad. Not sure what we did wrong, but, after doing more research, we suspect that sand may have at least partially contributed to her ailment.
We initially purchased samd (not play sand) because we read several positive reviews on this site. According to this compelling article (http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/07/the-real-scoop-on-using-sand-in-your.html?m=1), SAND IS NOT advisable for many well articulated reasons. Please have a read if you are considering sand.
If you have other ideas on what we may have done wrong, please feel free to write. We adored our little Polish hen and feel terrible that we could not provide her an environment in which she was able to thrive.
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join the flock! Sorry to hear you lost your little polish :hugs It's always very sad when a member of the flock is lost. I'm a sand fan and have one of my pens of polish on play sand. They wreck everything else they have in the coop and I found sand worked well for me. I see your reasoning on sand playing a part in the death of your polish. I use play sand as it's safe for children to play in and should not contain silica.

There could be other causes for the death of your polish, polish don't do well in mixed flocks. They are often at the bottom of the pecking order. As you said she died writhing this would point me towards a neurological problem. A well aimed peck from another bird on the head of a polish can cause this. Polish have a vaulted skull and not all their brain is covered by skull. Also vitamin deficiencies can cause neurological problems along with genetics.
She could also have had a disease prior to coming to you.

Good luck in the future and enjoy BYC :frow
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


I am so sorry about your bird.
hugs.gif
It is never easy to lose them. I too am a Sand Fan and like any other bedding, it needs to be stripped down to the floor occasionally. All bedding can harbor Ecoli, Coccidiosis and other harmful pathogens. I just cleaned mine out of the coop and run the other weekend. Not an easy task, but yes, it has to be done. No matter what bedding you use, the cleaner you keep it, the less bacteria grow from it. But yes, removing all of it entirely is something that has to be done on occasion.

I sure hope your heavy heart can heal soon.
hugs.gif


Welcome to our flock!
 

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