Favourite hen died... (Graphic photos)

[Bickerton]

Went to check for eggs today andmy biggest baddest girl was lying dead on the coop floor with a hole in her aand blood on the perch.

Looks like was egg bound and haemoraged?

Was perfectly fine up until this. No signs of anything untoward. She had always been a noisier screechier layer than all the others, assumed this was normal?

Have scrubbed all the blood down with my usual coop cleaner stuff, will this suffice?

Absolutely gutted about it as wanted 6 hens and it's more hassle than its worth trying to introduce anotheras the top girl is a bitch!!

Here's pics, unless anyone can think of anything else that may effect mmy girls I'll assume was just bad luck

 

[Marigold]

Oh dear, poor girl, I'm so sorry Bickerton after all the loving care you gave them. Yes does look like internal lee ding doesn't it, I would say not a predator attack, especially in your very strong run.
You're right about not introducing just one - it may be best to wait until you can take on another pair.

 

[Bickerton]

Yeah nothing has got in for sure.

Her and another appeared to be dust bathing in the house bedding yesterday in the doorway where the sun was shining. but she was more stretching as opposed to fluffing it tthrough her feathers like the other one.

 

[foxy]

Was she all right first thing this morning Bickerton? Is the damage to her vent, it is hard to see looking at the photo..very sorry, a terrible shock.

 

[Bickerton]

It seems like vent as can see an egg yolk, then potentially pecked open by the others.

Assume was fine this morning as wife sorted them and woulda mentioned one staying in the house. She was rigger stiff @ 3.30 so assume it was early when happened, she usually laid about 10.

My main concern is purely ruling out a possible infection. Can handle it being "one of them" just don't wanna miss something that could wipe the rest out.

 

[chrismahon]

Looks at first glance as egg Peritonitis as you thought Bickerton. That looks like an egg in the abdomen. I am puzzled though as she should have shown bloated symptoms long before that. Typically they can have a dozen yolks in the abdomen.

My first thoughts were something sharp in the dust bath. We've had a hen slice herself open in the dust bath on a rusty nail. She may have split open during the strain of laying. Check the dust bath area. When I checked ours there were three large rusty nails.

Sorry for your loss Bickerton.

 

[Bickerton]

With it being chilly recently and her generally being a big girl any mild bloating woulda be well hidden. The general egg production has been consistent too other than today really (2 eggs outta 6 girls today)

House is clear of any foreign bodies, cleaned it out the other day completely and when I first built it I dragged a powerful magnet roundit to pick up any staples etc.

 

[chrismahon]

You've covered it all then Bickerton -wish we had, as Margo was a lovely hen. Can't see any underlying infection problem there at all. Coop looks lovely and clean and very spacious. If you are certain there isn't anything sharp anywhere?

 

[Bickerton]

Is it unusual for hens to screech when laying, she was always noticeably louder than the others with a peculiar noise.

I'lljust keep an eye on the other girls for a few days and hope this was a one off.

 

[foxy]

This is a bit strange, and something doesn't quite add up here, the damage looks a bit "torn" not pecked. Any evidence on the other birds, ie: blood stains on their heads, feathers?

 

[Bickerton]

Nope, no marks on other girls, blood is purely what's shown on the nest box and across the perch, no pooling or stains on the bedding where I found here either. Dunno how much blood a hen contains though.

 

[Icemaiden]

You poor thing, Bickerton. What a horrible thing to come home to.
I hope she didn't suffer for too long...

 

[Marigold]

Just a thought - how big is the mesh on the sides of the run? Could it possibly have been a weasel or stoat? Weasels are about the size of a pencil and about as thick as a woman's finger, so could get through anything bigger than 1/2"" mesh.

 

[tygrysek75]

So sorry for your loss.What a terrible thing.Her went is a real mess I would think thet she was pecked to death by others.Chickens are not vegetarians and any blood visible is to much to resist.So sorry

 

[Bickerton]

Yeah they showed alot of interest in one of the others when she cut her comb but she had the luxury of being able to see them coming.

Had a few days being paranoid as one of them will sit in the nest box up to an hour so kept checking on her, which in turn probably made her stay even longer .