The Old Folks Home

[pennyJo1960]

A few days back I commented about what a great flock leader my Twonky was and how I didn't know what I would do if something happened to him.

I went out today to let the birds out and found him dead. I didn't notice him missing last night, I was sick so I went out near dark, gave them fresh water and locked them down. This morning, he didn't charge out of the pop door like he usually does which is strange for him so I went inside to check on him. Couldn't find him. Went back outside and still couldn't find him. I finally found him under one of my brooder coops. He must have been there since last night. There is 10 inch or so gap between floor and ground that gives the youngsters a place to hide when the older birds pick on them. I popped out a trim board on one end so the larger birds could go under there also. I'd never seen Twonk go in there. No marks, full crop, good breast meat. I have no idea what happened to him but I sure am going to miss him.

Now it will be interesting to see who takes the reins in the flock. Hopefully one of his sons.

I am so sorry you lost him good boys like men do not come around every day huh
Morning Old Folks

 

[microchick]

Yeah, it sux,doesn't it, @Alaskan? If they are sick or injured you pretty much have an idea as to what took them but for them to just turn up dead is a real bummer....2 weeks? Man that makes me feel like a real feeb.

Thanks @CapricornFarm. Pics asap. Hoping you have an event free hatching. Losing all those birds to the raccoon, you deserve it!

Thanks Penny and Ron, He was a prolific rooster. I see his bloodline throughout the flock. Before I crash and burn for the day I decided to make a bowl of apple/pear sauce for dinner. Took the peelings and cores out for the birds and watched them for a minute. Looks like his son, Timmy is in charge. He has Twonk's coloring and 'cocky' attitude but is some smaller than the old man was. Little "Carp" only it begins with S, yeah, that's his real name has stayed as a lieutenant as has another grandson of Twonk, Charlie who is a rooster from last year. What is surprising, is that it looks like King Tut my EF rooster has now moved up in the standings a bit.

I've always advocated multiple roosters for a flock for this reason. They usually work things out for themselves, thank goodness, when the flock suffers the loss of the alpha rooster.

 

[ShrekDawg]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-support-sumis-health-recovery-fund.1335205/

 

[pennyJo1960]

Still have two in the main coop bought a group of 4 turned out they are two pullets two cockerel last our roosting behind the carp can I scoop into a small snow shovel then into this garbage can can move it but should I make them roost on table

 

[bruceha2000]

Anyway.. lost a hen... ditto on food in crop, good breast meat, no sign of wounds...
She was just in the middle of my lawn... just there.... up close to the parked plow... but like huh?

When I've lost girls like that it was usually fatty liver disease. They drop where they stand when the liver explodes.

I have no idea what happened to him but I sure am going to miss him.

How old was he? Probably not old enough to have died from old age I would guess.

 

[microchick]

When I've lost girls like that it was usually fatty liver disease. They drop where they stand when the liver explodes.


How old was he? Probably not old enough to have died from old age I would guess.

2 years and 8 months, Bruce. He's from the first batch of eggs I hatched in my Brinsea.

No signs of Marek's disease, no signs of disease or injury. Full crop, good breast muscle....just dead. Like he crawled under the brooder coop and died. The only puzzle is that he had never gone there before. The smaller hens did and the juvies did all the time to get away from the bigger birds but nothing to subdue or trap him. DH asked me if I did a necropsy on him and I said no. No heart to cut him open.

 

[bruceha2000]

Echo once ignored me when I opened up in the morning, VERY unusual. I saw her go toward the back of the house. After I did the morning animal chores (all of about 10 minutes) I went looking for her. Finally found her under the above ground pool deck up against the side of the pool. Definitely not a normal thing so i got her and took her back to the barn. I'm sure she went there to die undisturbed. I put her in the broody buster and gave her vitamins and antibiotics. She recovered, still no idea what could possibly be wrong but just tried what little I could. Maybe your rooster was similar, no other reason for him to go hide under the coop since it wasn't a normal thing.

 

[Alaskan]

When I've lost girls like that it was usually fatty liver disease. They drop where they stand when the liver explodes.

Exploding liver huh?

I don't think so... mine almost never get treats... and then just some barley (like once a month) The main coop get wilted greens and veggie trimmings once a week..

But she wasn't in the main coop.

She was living with the Muscovy, so free range, lots of exercise, and just all flock feed.

My only guess is age... she might have been over 5, maybe 8... can't remember.

Been awhile since I have butchered an old hen... but the ones we butcher never have much excess fat.

 

[Alaskan]

I did have chick starter in the next over fenced area for the free range chicks... but I don't think the higher protein would have killed her... everyone is molting right now anyway.

I do have to treat them all for lice... but she wasn't that lice-filled... only a few. Just odd....

 

[pennyJo1960]

We are getting like one egg every other day all my 3, 4 and 5 year old are on the same molt now have another group not old enough to lay