- Jun 1, 2012
- 27
- 2
- 36
Lost a 8 & 1/2 week old pullet today. Sad and will be hard to explain to my 3 year old (not to mention my wife.)
Not sure why or what I should do now. This is my first time with chickens.
So my questions:
Is there anything I should do now?
Should I be concerned for other birds?
What should I be doing differently in the future?
What else should I be asking?
Background -
We got 4 "pullets" at a chicken swap when they were ~5 week old. 2 Brahmas from one vendor and 2 Wyandottes from another. The Gold Laced Wyanodotte is a healthy looking cockerel. The Silver laced died today. Brahmas are happy pullets.
The chicken swap requires they show proof of vaccination (Milford, NH Tractor Supply.)
In the same flock also have twelve 3 & 1/2 week old pullets (from feed store using Mt. Healthy Hatchery) and they all seem to be fine.
The Silver laced when caught was always the most cuddly, even more so then the docile Brahmas. She was smaller at the start than the Gold Laced Cockeral but not sure they were the same age. This bird's feathers continued to look nicer but never really put on weight in the last 3 & 1/2 weeks. In fact comparied to her weight today (probably lost some weight) for the 3 1/2 week old pullets, I'd say half of them rivaled her in weight although smaller in size because of her mature feathers, the other half weighed less by a bit. (3 1/2 week pullets mix of hatchery Araucanas, Barred Rocks, and black Cross.) I had no true comparison as she started small (younger?) and had no other silver laced pullet to compare to but I guess I should have been worried as she never thrived, but her feathers were pretty. (also it seems she lost weight in the last couple days but I hadn't noticed.)
No vent blockage. In addition to morning and evening feed/water we had been holding taking a chicken with me to read in the gazebo etc. As half the younger ones are going to my brother I was holding those the last 3-4 days to decide which not the older ones so I hadn't actually held this bird in 4 days. Until today she moved around as normal I thought, except I was happy to see she was sleeping with the younger birds as until lately the two groups sleep a couple inches apart (all the older ones are more excepting so that might mean anything.)
Today mid day I sat with the birds for 20 minutes and held a bunch, this silver laced wyandotte was too easy to catch, then although she always cuddles and closes her eyes, this time I couldn't really get a rise out of he, she didn't go anywhere or call out, she opened her eyes but didn't do much. I pet her for a while then put her near the food and thought maybe she is sick, maybe chickens do this for a short time and I don't know chickens. We had a prenatal appointment to attend and when I got back to check on her to see if this was serious and I should get help or was she fine I found she was right where I put her with her head tucked pack and fallen over dead.
She looked fine feather, leg, beak wise. I now think she had lost weight, I think I missed that she had stopped eating/drinking.
Thanks
Not sure why or what I should do now. This is my first time with chickens.
So my questions:
Is there anything I should do now?
Should I be concerned for other birds?
What should I be doing differently in the future?
What else should I be asking?
Background -
We got 4 "pullets" at a chicken swap when they were ~5 week old. 2 Brahmas from one vendor and 2 Wyandottes from another. The Gold Laced Wyanodotte is a healthy looking cockerel. The Silver laced died today. Brahmas are happy pullets.
The chicken swap requires they show proof of vaccination (Milford, NH Tractor Supply.)
In the same flock also have twelve 3 & 1/2 week old pullets (from feed store using Mt. Healthy Hatchery) and they all seem to be fine.
The Silver laced when caught was always the most cuddly, even more so then the docile Brahmas. She was smaller at the start than the Gold Laced Cockeral but not sure they were the same age. This bird's feathers continued to look nicer but never really put on weight in the last 3 & 1/2 weeks. In fact comparied to her weight today (probably lost some weight) for the 3 1/2 week old pullets, I'd say half of them rivaled her in weight although smaller in size because of her mature feathers, the other half weighed less by a bit. (3 1/2 week pullets mix of hatchery Araucanas, Barred Rocks, and black Cross.) I had no true comparison as she started small (younger?) and had no other silver laced pullet to compare to but I guess I should have been worried as she never thrived, but her feathers were pretty. (also it seems she lost weight in the last couple days but I hadn't noticed.)
No vent blockage. In addition to morning and evening feed/water we had been holding taking a chicken with me to read in the gazebo etc. As half the younger ones are going to my brother I was holding those the last 3-4 days to decide which not the older ones so I hadn't actually held this bird in 4 days. Until today she moved around as normal I thought, except I was happy to see she was sleeping with the younger birds as until lately the two groups sleep a couple inches apart (all the older ones are more excepting so that might mean anything.)
Today mid day I sat with the birds for 20 minutes and held a bunch, this silver laced wyandotte was too easy to catch, then although she always cuddles and closes her eyes, this time I couldn't really get a rise out of he, she didn't go anywhere or call out, she opened her eyes but didn't do much. I pet her for a while then put her near the food and thought maybe she is sick, maybe chickens do this for a short time and I don't know chickens. We had a prenatal appointment to attend and when I got back to check on her to see if this was serious and I should get help or was she fine I found she was right where I put her with her head tucked pack and fallen over dead.
She looked fine feather, leg, beak wise. I now think she had lost weight, I think I missed that she had stopped eating/drinking.
Thanks
