Seven dead hens within 4 hours, not attacked. UPDATE: Teflon Poisoning!

[Kathy Golla]

Ooh he's so bootiful...he's going to be so excited tomorrow!!!!
Please keep us updated!
I raised my hens from chicks too and am so interested in how it goes with pullets..or are you getting hens older than pullets?
Regardless, so interested in your upcoming journey.

 

[AaronandAlice]

Ooh he's so bootiful...he's going to be so excited tomorrow!!!!
Please keep us updated!
I raised my hens from chicks too and am so interested in how it goes with pullets..or are you getting hens older than pullets?
Regardless, so interested in your upcoming journey.

We're getting hens that are about a year old. They're said to be still laying- my most difficult question is, do I just get 4 and do chicks when we have the time, or do I get 10 and pick up where we left off? (I'd actually need 11- but I feel like 10 is plenty)

 

[BantyChooks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/polytetrafluoroethylene-toxicity-in-chickens.73482/

 

[BantyChooks]

Having his breakfast this morning.

What a darling.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I just read through this entire thread and there's nothing I can say that hasn't been said already, and probably better. Your tragedy will save countless other birds and owners from going through this. In addition, what stood out to me is your willingness to pay close attention to what suggestions people were offering and your regular updates and postings. As others have said, too often there will be a post in the emergency forum and then we never hear from the OP again...no updates, no additional information... or the OP ends up becoming defensive, which doesn't help anyone.

I am proud of you, proud of the members of this web site who tried so hard to help, and glad that @Ruralhideaway was able to come up with the cause. I just wish the outcome hadn't been so hard on all of you.

Agreed!

Hello there... I am Alice's husband. I just want to say, that this was very much my fault. Although I did not know that a Teflon lamp would harm/kill chickens, I am the one who took the bulb out of the package and told her to use it to heat the coop. I have been servicing commercial food equipment for over 27 years now, and not once have I ever read the box that the lamps come out of. These are the very same bulbs that keep the wing bar food warm at your grocery stores.

The terrible scene in the coop I witnessed while Alice was posting with you folks last night, brought a wave of fear over me, that was confirmed as I read the lamp box. Although we had no idea, I feel responsible for this. It is our first time brooding chickens, and we went in with a lot of researching what needed to be done first. Nothing can prepare you for this. I just went through the posts, and see Alice taking the blame. I assured her it was ok to use the bulb, because it just produces heat. I am having a hard time accepting the result. Truly, I had never heard of any dangers of PTFE. I am sorry this even happened, but I am thankful you folks are comforting her. We will do what we can to revive the remaining 2 birds. The rooster actually seems unscathed by it all. Thank you for your support and friendship. It means a lot. Alice puts in 99% of the work everyday to keep them fed, warm, safe. I let her down. And that's the worst...

Please, don’t feel bad. These things happen. I lost my entire original flock of 12 girls too. We were selling our house, and I was fortunate enough to find a kind woman who had a large amount of chickens already. She was generous enough to take in my girls through our selling and moving process. Tragically, two weeks before we were ready to take back out chickens, she had a massive predator attack and lost almost all of them. It was heartbreaking, but sometimes crappy stuff just happens.

You guys did everything you could and have helped so many with your story. I’m so sorry you all had to have this happen. Hugs from my home to yours.

We're getting hens that are about a year old. They're said to be still laying- my most difficult question is, do I just get 4 and do chicks when we have the time, or do I get 10 and pick up where we left off? (I'd actually need 11- but I feel like 10 is plenty)

I’d say do what you can handle now. If you think it may be easier to keep a smaller flock in the winter now, and enjoy raising chicks, then just get a few for now. If you want to keep a good supply of eggs and keep things easy, get a whole bunch of adults now.

Of course as proper poultry enablers, we’d advise you get a bunch now, and then hatch chicks later also.


Whew! That was a lot of reading. I will surly be back to see pictures of the new girls! Again, many hugs. Hope you guys can get through this quickly.

 

[Kathy Golla]

I know,tough decision. Guess it's about your raising tolerance. I feel like if anything happened to my hens I would start with pullets or older than that.
I don't really have the set up to raise chicks consistently.

 

[Bobby Basham]

We're getting hens that are about a year old. They're said to be still laying- my most difficult question is, do I just get 4 and do chicks when we have the time, or do I get 10 and pick up where we left off? (I'd actually need 11- but I feel like 10 is plenty)

Everybody's situation is different, but I personally would go with the 10 adult birds. Raising chicks is an additional responsibility and you may not have the time to tend to them with the new house being rebuilt and other things going on in your lives. Don't do like me and get in over your head, too many projects and not completing any.

 

[AaronandAlice]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/polytetrafluoroethylene-toxicity-in-chickens.73482/

This is excellent. Thank you.

 

[sunflour]

We're getting hens that are about a year old. They're said to be still laying- my most difficult question is, do I just get 4 and do chicks when we have the time, or do I get 10 and pick up where we left off? (I'd actually need 11- but I feel like 10 is plenty)

Go with the 10 hens, better with having the rooster . Or you will need some hen saddles You can always plan adding baby chicks in the future?

 

[aart]

Everybody's situation is different, but I personally would go with the 10 adult birds. Raising chicks is an additional responsibility and you may not have the time to tend to them with the new house being rebuilt and other things going on in your lives. Don't do like me and get in over your head, too many projects and not completing any.

Makes much sense^^^^
.....no need to learn to/deal with brooding chicks while building a house.