Hello all!
OK, here's the situation - I've lost 2 roosters in as many weeks and today I have a hen that is not looking good. Whatever it is happens literally overnight. One afternoon I was commenting on how much I enjoyed my australorp rooster who had run up the road happily to greet me - the next afternoon he was dead. The same went for the other rooster and now the hen, no warning signs. Their combs are bright and red, eyes alert and shiny, feathers smooth, not ruffled, no crusted vent and they are heavy and fat. I haven't found any signs of external injury or swelling on any of them.
Symptoms: Listlessness, droopy tail, unsocial and trying to hide from me and the flock. They will peck at some scratch if I put it right in front of them but only a little.
My birds are all free range on as many acres as they want to roam. I feed them layena pellets and fresh garden greens and scratch for snacks. I also put vitamins in their water monthly though I haven't ever wormed them. Monday I butchered 12 roosters and didn't find anything suspicious with any of them though I am a little concerned about eating them now though I did have them penned separately.
My suspicion for injury would be from several things: I do have a tom turkey and 2 hens that free range with my chickens, but I have never seen any aggressive behavior but then again I am not out there 24/7. I did lose a hen to a golden eagle last week that carried her off into the sunset. Also there is a large woodpile behind the coop that a snake lives in, but I've never seen him close enough to tell what kind it is - possibly a snakebite?
Sorry for the long post but I'm at a loss here! I'd really like to save this hen!
OK, here's the situation - I've lost 2 roosters in as many weeks and today I have a hen that is not looking good. Whatever it is happens literally overnight. One afternoon I was commenting on how much I enjoyed my australorp rooster who had run up the road happily to greet me - the next afternoon he was dead. The same went for the other rooster and now the hen, no warning signs. Their combs are bright and red, eyes alert and shiny, feathers smooth, not ruffled, no crusted vent and they are heavy and fat. I haven't found any signs of external injury or swelling on any of them.
Symptoms: Listlessness, droopy tail, unsocial and trying to hide from me and the flock. They will peck at some scratch if I put it right in front of them but only a little.
My birds are all free range on as many acres as they want to roam. I feed them layena pellets and fresh garden greens and scratch for snacks. I also put vitamins in their water monthly though I haven't ever wormed them. Monday I butchered 12 roosters and didn't find anything suspicious with any of them though I am a little concerned about eating them now though I did have them penned separately.
My suspicion for injury would be from several things: I do have a tom turkey and 2 hens that free range with my chickens, but I have never seen any aggressive behavior but then again I am not out there 24/7. I did lose a hen to a golden eagle last week that carried her off into the sunset. Also there is a large woodpile behind the coop that a snake lives in, but I've never seen him close enough to tell what kind it is - possibly a snakebite?
Sorry for the long post but I'm at a loss here! I'd really like to save this hen!
