Unexpected Deaths

[bobby d]

I feel your pain!!

I'm sorry to hear about your girls. We're going thru that same problem. I had a pullet die a couple days ago. She started out unstable, lost a huge amount of weight, was eating but very little same with the water. Then a week later just got worse couldn't walk, eat, drink and kept her head back. We had to put her down it was just getting horrible. I found another hen last night acting the same way but this hit her within an 8 hr period. I'm driver her up to the State Poultry Lab tomorrow so they can run tests.

I completely hate it right now!! Again I'm sorry about your loss and hope things get better!!

 

[speckledhen]

The BR sounds like possible internal laying, the one the original poster was asking about. It happens to really good layers more than other birds. I've lost 9 hens to that exact same ailment. It's hormonal/genetic, no prevention, no cure other than hysterectomy.

 

[bobby d]

Hmmm..that's odd!! The first pullet that died the other day was only 4 mos. old so not laying yet. The one that sick now is 7 mos. old. That might be what's wrong with her.

 

[Rozzie]

Have you had your first cold snap lately? It seems like we always had a chicken death or two when the weather first went cold in the fall -- the first real cold snap or two each year. Never liked it, but always expected it because it seemed like an annual thing.

 

[marymac]

I had the same happen to me too. This past spring My fav. BLRW hen died, no apparent reason. She was healthy and laying eggs, then about a month and a half one of my EE's died, same way nothing you could see on her. Now this morning another of my EE's died Same way , no marks or anything. The EE's were just 2 yrs Nd th BLRW was 1 yr. I wouldn't be so surprised if it was one of my old gals, they are probably about 4 yr. olds, but it is hard to understand why they die and they look healthy one day and dead the next. It always seems as though they are your favorites too. Sorry for your loss.

 

[speckledhen]

Usually, internal laying begins around age 2, but it is not limited to older birds. They stop laying, though they may go on the nest and sit, then come off with no egg produced. Then later, they begin to lose weight. Fluid may build in the abdomen, it may not, but there is gunk building in the oviducts and/or in the abdomen itself. There is really nothing that can be done unless you catch it early and want to spend money to get a hysterectomy done on a chicken, which some have done.

This is an account of an EE hen owned by a young lady I knew years ago. The hen was operated on and shows what the vet got out of her. He did a hysterectomy on her since she was Mandy's pet. You may want to read the article. It's quite educational!

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/PennysSurgery/PennysSurgery.html

 

[marymac]

Quote:
Thanks so much for that link. After reading just a little I now wonder if my hens are getting enough calcium. Their egg shells are always hard and I didn't feel the need to give them extra oyster shell. I think now I will offer it to them whether they need it or not. I can not know what caused the deaths of my 3 birds, but from now on I will provide more calcium for them.

 

[speckledhen]

They'll take whatever calcium they need, though some are less inclined to hit the oyster shell dispenser than others. Calcium is good, but honestly, it won't stop the internal laying crud. Wish it did. There are liquid calcium supplements available at some feed stores as well, so it can be hidden in other feeds.