Pullets laying few short weeks - 2 bleeding?

[Ted Brown]

Good question Ted, hard to know for sure.
As @aart mentioned hard to tell if the damage was done after the fact or...

Seeing how this last one does may reveal something.

I have 3 of 6 pullets left. Thinking I should keep them in the cage for a bit yet?

 

[Ted Brown]

If the three dead pullets were dispatched by the remaining three can I assume that there will be more deaths if I leave them in the cage?

I do not want to put the remaining pullets in the coop with my flock is they are habituated to pecking.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If that's what happened then yes, it's possible they may be prone to vent picking.

It would be nice to be able to rule out if this is indeed the reason the others died. Chickens are opportunistic, so the others may have died, then the remaining just picked at exposed tissue.

 

[Ted Brown]

...
There's always risks when introducing new birds from an outside source. You've had them separated out for 30days or so. This would give you ample time to observe them for any respiratory disease symptoms, external parasites, etc. Not to say they are disease free and carry something or that they can pick up something from your existing flock, but this is the best you can do.

I am curious about this statement. At this point I feel confident that I can detect respiratory symptoms and certainly external parasites (have been through both mites and lice) in a much shorter time than 30 days. My best recollection is reading three weeks of bio isolation, not certain how I came to a thirty days.

You seem to be suggesting that there are other diseases that can easily be missed even with isolation? This suggests that an isolation period can be shorter and still allow detection of the more obvious issues?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ted, if you're giving your flock feed that only has plant protein in it you may want to add meat protein to their diet. A varied diet equals healthy birds and no picking or cannibalism.

Good point.

 

[Ted Brown]

The fifth pullet is now showing a creamy colored discharge in a line from top to bottom of the vent similar to 1st Pic in post 10 above. Her condition started with fresh blood from pecking (I assume), none showing now.

I tried for a picture but she was not cooperating, will try again later and post.