Sick flock or mourning?

Ryguy3684

Here comes the Rooster
Premium Feather Member
May 29, 2020
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Fauquier County, Virginia, United States.
My alpha rooster acted fine yesterday morning and by late afternoon he was laying in a nest, away from the flock. He was extremely lethargic, but no other symptoms. This morning, I just found him dead in the coop. We are sending him for a necropsy, to make sure it wasn't something that will spread.
This morning, my older hens, that grew up with him, are acting depressed. One didn't get off the roost, until I removed my rooster. The ones that seem depressed, are NOT lethargic. When I try to scoop them up, they are very much active.

Should I worry about illness, at this point, or will hens mourn the loss of their rooster? I've lost hens before, and the others seemed a little sad, but not like this.
 
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They can definitely mourn - although I don't think they realize he's dead, but gone.
I'd just keep an eye on them. Sorry for your loss.
 
My top hen, in the pecking order, spent most of the afternoon in a corner of the run. Her crop was full and she was not lethargic, so hopefully she's just bummed out and not sick. She's going through her 18 month molt, also, so it's understandable. Hopefully she'll snap out of it. The necropsy will be done tomorrow at a local lab. The doctor said he will call with the visual results, tomorrow, but the lab work will take 7-10 days. I'm hoping it wasn't something contagious. I dewormed them all last week, because I saw some worms in one of their poop. If he was sick, he hid it well. He was dead within 8 hours of his first symptom.
 
Yeah, if she's molting, they generally will keep to themselves. Hoping for a general lab report and nothing to worry about. :thumbsup Keep us updated.
 

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