Silkie died due to rupture in reproductive tract - questions

[chickychick7]

Hello,
I'm devastated at the loss of one of my two silkie hens the other day. She was pecking around/acting fine while free ranging but I noticed the last couple days before she died that she wasn't eating any crumble/worms/veggies from their dish. She was drinking water. She was spending time in the coop during the day with my other hen who was broody (the one who died was never broody), which I thought was odd. I noticed also she had diahreha and her abdomen (between her legs) felt bloated. I was going to take her to the vet the next day but I found her dead in the coop that morning She was only 3 years old and always healthy.

I took her body to the avian vet along with my other silkie, my 2 ring necked doves and my pigeon who all share the run (about 200 sq feet with an additional 500 sq feet) My concern was that perhaps she had contracted a disease from the pigeon or doves ( I had adopted 3 weeks prior to her dying the homing pigeon and 1 dove, the other ring necked dove they've lived with over a year)
The vet concluded she died from some rupture in her reproductive system. He said when he opened her up it looked like scrambled eggs and very foul smelling. Basically she died of septis. When I asked what would have caused this he basically said, who knows and equated it to someone having a burst appendix, just random.
When I got home I started researching what would cause bloated abdomens in chickens and 2 of the causes sounded like what he found. Either an impacted oviduct or Salpingitis.
When I expressed my concern that I thought maybe my hen could have gotten sick from the doves/pigeon he basically said he didn't think that had anything to do with it, that it just happens sometimes. I read that Salpingitis is caused by bacteria, two of which are E. Coli and Salmonella, both of which can be spread by pigeons. I also read that ring necked doves can be carriers of the parasite Trichomonas gallinae as well as Pigeon Paramyovirus which can be spread to poultry. I do have the areas under the dove station and where the pigeon eats/hangs out wired off so the chickens can't eat the bird seed for them, but of course they are still 'sharing' the run and they did all hang out together sunning themselves/etc..
The vet tested the stool/feathers of all the birds: the pigeon came up positive for worms, and the doves for mites. I powdered everyone with Diatomaceous Earth and dewormed all with Pyrantel Pamoate.
I don't want to build another aviary/separate the doves/pigeon, and I'd hate to have to rehome the doves/pigeon, I love them too, but I want to get another hen for my surviving girl (who seems totally healthy and checked out fine) and my hens are what matters most, so I'll rehome the pigeon/doves if I have to, but my vet thinks they have nothing to do with what happened to her.
Any experience/information/advice is very appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[PeepersMama]

I have lost a fair number of birds to similiar causes of your girl. I'm sorry for your loss

Egg yolk peritonitis/internal laying is the number one cause of death in laying hens. It happens when numerous yolks fall into the body cavity and bacteria starts to grow. If the infection gets into the blood, they're done for.

I usually have tons of sparrows flying around my coop, but I haven't noticed any relations with EYP and them. I know that the horrible mite infestation they had was from them, but as long as they aren't pooping in the chicken's feed then I don't see how there would be any relations.

I think maybe how clean the coop is might play a role. I don't know about you, but I am not nearly as diligent with cleaning as I ought to be.

I would keep the pigeons/doves and your silkie together. Since it's early in the year, you could probably buy some fertile hatching eggs to let her hatch. I'm sure she would love to hatch her own.

Let me know how it goes!

 

[chickychick7]

Thanks so much for your reply. I'd love to let my silkie hatch a chick (I know she would love
it since she's so broody !) , but we're
not allowed roosters where I live so I can't risk having/getting chicks. I'm planning
on buying another silkie hen as soon as mine comes out of her broody period.
After my hen died I throughly cleaned out the coop and run and wired off the 2 areas
where pigeon and dove hang out with small opening only the small birds can get into/to keep
chickens away from their droppings as much as possible. Again I appreciate your response.
Thanks so much.

 

[PeepersMama]

Thanks so much for your reply. I'd love to let my silkie hatch a chick (I know she would love
it since she's so broody !) , but we're
not allowed roosters where I live so I can't risk having/getting chicks. I'm planning
on buying another silkie hen as soon as mine comes out of her broody period.
After my hen died I throughly cleaned out the coop and run and wired off the 2 areas
where pigeon and dove hang out with small opening only the small birds can get into/to keep
chickens away from their droppings as much as possible. Again I appreciate your response.
Thanks so much.

You're very welcome. I know it gets kind of annoying when you're really concerned about your chickens

If your current girl is still broody, you could slip a couple sexed chicks under her and let her raise them. You would have to keep track of when she went broody so you could slip them under her at the right time (on the 20th-21st day), otherwise she might reject them, although silkies are notorious for being good mothers.

Hope all goes well!