The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

I have one more theory on the death of my BR.

In the afternoon there was a very heavy thunderstorm with lots of wind. I honestly don't know if I saw her after that storm which ended around 3:30 They were all outside at the time. I didn't notice she wasn't there until I went out to shut the kennel pen.

It is "possible" that she was in the area I found her in when the heavy rain came in and perhaps couldn't get out of the heavy rain and had problems breathing in water or something like that. It almost looked like she had tried to get under some foliage at the fence row. I didn't see any hail, but there was hail in the forecast... Perhaps she was just caught in an area that she couldn't get under cover during that storm.

 

[flyladyrocks]

I found one of my largest, heaviest birds - a hatchery BR - dead tonight out on one of the piles of wood chips that they dig through.

It is very hot here and I put out shallow pans of water for them to stand in..and the 2 BRs are the ones that do stand in it... I also run a fan in the chicken house, etc.

I am assuming it was heat or a heart attack.

I looked her over totally externally. No attack. No marks of rooster cutting/infection whatsoever. She looks very peaceful..not like there was any "scare" or anything like that. Not a feather out of place. She - and the whole flock showed no sign of any illness whatsoever.

She was 2 yo in March.

I DON'T WANT TO DO A NECROPSY.

Must I?

 

[ki4got]

I saw your post on e-mail last night, but did not see the picture until I got on this morning. So sad for you and even more so when I saw the picture of your non camera shy pan stander - I so love these pics of her. The heat has totally freaked me out and I hope and pray this is not a sign of what is to come this summer.

Interested to hear the opinions of the necropsy since Chickcrazed has indicated Purdue charges so much. Wondering how you know when to do it.
So sorry for you loss.

I do my own, if the cause is unclear. it helps to process a few healthy birds (for meat purposes) and examine them closely to learn what looks right, then when you do one that's off you can note the differences.

 

[tcmstalcup]

Sometimes birds just die. I have no problem with guessing what happened or cutting her open and having a look if that suits you but the base line truth is sometimes chickens just die.........

 

[Leahs Mom]

@ki4got @flyladyrocks @tcmstalcup

Yes, if I did a necropsy I'd do it here myself on this girl. If I thought there was a disease involved I may have Purdue do it in that case.

So...Karen....do you think I need to do one?

And tcm - I agree. I don't see any outward signs of a problem "health-wise". She was acting perfectly normal. She IS a hatchery BR and they often don't last as long as the heritage birds. With no external evidence of predation or anything otherwise, I will probably just chalk it up to a heart or heat issue and not do one.

But I am curious as to what ki4got @aoxa @delisha have to say about necropsy...

 

[delisha]

I found one of my largest, heaviest birds - a hatchery BR - dead tonight out on one of the piles of wood chips that they dig through.

It is very hot here and I put out shallow pans of water for them to stand in..and the 2 BRs are the ones that do stand in it... I also run a fan in the chicken house, etc.

I am assuming it was heat or a heart attack.

I looked her over totally externally. No attack. No marks of rooster cutting/infection whatsoever. She looks very peaceful..not like there was any "scare" or anything like that. Not a feather out of place. She - and the whole flock showed no sign of any illness whatsoever.

She was 2 yo in March.

I DON'T WANT TO DO A NECROPSY.

Must I?

Do the necropsy.

@ki4got @flyladyrocks @tcmstalcup

Yes, if I did a necropsy I'd do it here myself on this girl. If I thought there was a disease involved I may have Purdue do it in that case.

So...Karen....do you think I need to do one?

And tcm - I agree. I don't see any outward signs of a problem "health-wise". She was acting perfectly normal. She IS a hatchery BR and they often don't last as long as the heritage birds. With no external evidence of predation or anything otherwise, I will probably just chalk it up to a heart or heat issue and not do one.

But I am curious as to what ki4got @aoxa @delisha have to say about necropsy...

Do the necropsy..for yourself.
You will know she probably died of a heart attack or stroke. It is always a relief to simply know. I am positive it was not disease. You would have seen signs. Hatchery birds die early. Doing the necropsy will add education not only to you but to others who fear it....

 

[ki4got]

@ki4got @flyladyrocks @tcmstalcup

Yes, if I did a necropsy I'd do it here myself on this girl. If I thought there was a disease involved I may have Purdue do it in that case.

So...Karen....do you think I need to do one?

And tcm - I agree. I don't see any outward signs of a problem "health-wise". She was acting perfectly normal. She IS a hatchery BR and they often don't last as long as the heritage birds. With no external evidence of predation or anything otherwise, I will probably just chalk it up to a heart or heat issue and not do one.

But I am curious as to what ki4got @aoxa @delisha have to say about necropsy...

personally, I would simply for curiosity sake... then again, I've never had compunctions about doing dissections/necropsies and like to 'look around' and try to learn more about them, which can only benefit the living birds more IMO.

 

[misbhaven]

I am getting a new Maran Roo this weekend

actually a pair of Black Copper, any Maran Roo is better than none..I have such a nice hubby he told me to find a new one for my girls...of course his chicken math is worse than mine..
AND
my Cornish Cross project is still going Bertha didn't loose an eye after all ,I wiped it clean one day and took a peak swore it was gone but it was swollen shut from being picked on (tried to steal a veggie treat from the top hen). stayed that way for a week now back to normal...I almost gave up and culled both of them if going through all the trouble to process might as well...she was running around today just fine ok waddling...BTW whoever says those birds don't roost fibs a lot the other one is high ranking and roosts high jumps her round butt right up there

Does anybody have any advice for keeping these plump girls alive until laying age should be only a few more weeks ?? I disperse treats a little at a time several times a day makes them run around some they even come out for about an hour for free range time

 

[flyladyrocks]

I found one of my largest, heaviest birds - a hatchery BR - dead tonight out on one of the piles of wood chips that they dig through.

 

[LindaB220]

I am getting a new Maran Roo this weekend

actually a pair of Black Copper, any Maran Roo is better than none..I have such a nice hubby he told me to find a new one for my girls...of course his chicken math is worse than mine..
AND
my Cornish Cross project is still going Bertha didn't loose an eye after all ,I wiped it clean one day and took a peak swore it was gone but it was swollen shut from being picked on (tried to steal a veggie treat from the top hen). stayed that way for a week now back to normal...I almost gave up and culled both of them if going through all the trouble to process might as well...she was running around today just fine ok waddling...BTW whoever says those birds don't roost fibs a lot the other one is high ranking and roosts high jumps her round butt right up there

Does anybody have any advice for keeping these plump girls alive until laying age should be only a few more weeks ?? I disperse treats a little at a time several times a day makes them run around some they even come out for about an hour for free range time

I put a teaspoon of nutri drench liquid in their bucket of water. It helps them a LOT toward the heat.. Also new chicks. 1 drop and then put to water. 3 days The sheep version works just as well and cheaper.

I went to Amazon and came across this:

http://www.amazon.com/Bovidr-Labora...403273819&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=nutridrench