Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fuzzi]

fwiw I don't think we need look for nefarious causes or get suspicious about neighbours. Henry was very old and had fly strike. Fret is quite old and is not dead yet. Tull was young and barely into her stride, but I have had several birds die suddenly, apparently for no reason or of suspected heart failure, some even on the verge of adulthood when one would assume they should be as healthy as they'd ever be (most recently Zoar, Xmoor's twin from last year).

One of the first was shortly before I had the first inspection from the APHA inspector, many years ago now, and I spoke with him about it. He said it is surprisingly common. It is often put down to what we used to call being highly strung; affected birds don't handle stress well at all.

My first rooster, Joel, declined quietly for a couple weeks, then had a seizure and died at 13 months. I found Martha dead under the roost, barely 2 years old. No sign of illness, or issues.

It stinks, but it happens.

 

[thistlewick]

I was not expecting to hear that as I opened the thread this morning over my coffee and wanting to hear how Fret was doing. Oh my god - I am so sorry Shadrach that is just awful news.

 

[Molpet]

Tull died sometime this morning. I found her dead next to Fret in the coop extension. She had a heart attack. No mistaking the signs, neck far out and hackles slightly raised. Poor Tull. Poor all of them.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Aww, that is sad. Breezy had something going on with his heart or lungs and that's what must have weakened him to be taken out by heatstroke. But Tull too, that's so sad. You had suspicion of Henry having heart problems, could she have inherited them? I suppose it doesn't matter now...

A flower for your loss

 

[Ribh]

I've dealt with a couple of stress related paralysis cases as you may recall from my stories. It can take a bit of time but recovery prognosis is good.

Yes, I remember. I've done this before so know it takes time. So far she's doing well.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Sort of random question, I guess, but it’s driving me crazy: why do some chickens - mine, anyway - lay at the same time every day?

It’s supposed to take 26 hours (27?) for an egg to form. Ours lay at the same time each morning.

EE: hasn’t missed a day in 4 weeks. Marches into the coop at the same time each morning and back out 15-20 minutes later.

BO: lays 4-5x/week. Takes longer to lay, but same time, including when she lays several days in a row.

BR: 3, moving toward 4. Same time, although it’s rare for her to lay two days in a row.

Can the next egg start forming while the current one is at the final spray paint booth stage or something? (The EE doesn’t have a paint booth - eggs are the same pale blue-green inside and out.)

I’m not complaining, mind you, but my logic-pattern-loving brain is going bananas.

 

[L-plate chicken mum]

Four hours today.
Tull died sometime this morning. I found her dead next to Fret in the coop extension. She had a heart attack. No mistaking the signs, neck far out and hackles slightly raised. Poor Tull. Poor all of them.
Fret is no better but she had managed to leave the coop and perch on the board that separates the coop and the coop extension, something I had sever doubts about when I left her last night. I put Fret on the roost bar in the coop tonight and she wobbled a bit but settled.
If everybody was dying with even vaguely similar symptoms I could believe something contagious was being picked up and was spreading through the group, but they're not.
Grave digging tomorrow again. I should at least have some help for that as my friend who lives close by has offered to help. my eldest's husband who would and has helped in the past has a broken wrist and the treasurer who would also help has hurt his back.
Sylph is laying again a few days after the shell less egg she laid and the eggs are normal.

It's complete nonsense but I can't help thinking if Henry was alive none of this would be happening.
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[Perris]

It’s supposed to take 26 hours (27?) for an egg to form

It's an average, as with all these figures dished out for chicken-related things. About 50% will take less time, and about 50% will take more time, all other things being equal (which they aren't either, but hey, who cares about such details in the poultry business that funds the research?)

 

[Mother of Chaos]

It's an average, as with all these figures dished out for chicken-related things. About 50% will take less time, and about 50% will take more time, all other things being equal (which they aren't either, but hey, who cares about such details in the poultry business that funds the research?)

Well, ok, I can see that.

- she said sullenly.

 

[Shadrach]

I just always feel like if cause can be identified, then it can be fixed

I know the feeling but the reality is in my experience that we're not as good at fixing things as we think we are.