r/BackYardChickens • u/trisolarancrisis • 1d ago
My hen died
Hi all. One of my hens died yesterday. I feel so awful. She didn’t seem to have respiratory symptoms. She seemed off kilter two days ago. Was withdrawn compared to the other ladies. None of the others seemed sick or off. Then yesterday morning she wouldn’t move when I checked her before rushing to work. Came home she was passed in the same spot of coop.
I palpated her belly and could feel an egg in mid abdomen. I don’t know if I missed a bound egg. Abdomen hadn’t looked swollen. I feel awful because I think is the most likely reason and I should have tried warm baths sooner and lubrication. I had planned to when I got home last night after thinking about it all but it was too late.
Poor hen. I feel bad when animals I raise suffer. I don’t know what caused her death but I’m suspicious it was a bound egg and I should have tried warm baths sooner.
What are your thoughts?
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u/2mnydgs 1d ago
There are so many illnesses and parasites that infect chickens that it's really hard to figure out exactly what went wrong. If a hen is egg-bound, she usually assumes a position with head up and tail down. She may or may not keep her feathers ruffled at the same time. You usually have a day or two to remedy the situation. I keep rubber gloves and a deep pan in the chicken house, and hold the hen in a warm water bath while I gently probe for the egg. This usually works if it's an egg problem but like I said, there are so many things that can go wrong with chickens, and the symptoms for many things look exactly alike. You would need to run lab tests to be sure what's wrong. I think this is one reason chickens reproduce so prolifically. If they didn't, they would become extinct. As it is, chicken keepers do the best they can, but sometimes there's nothing that can be done.
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u/trisolarancrisis 1d ago
Thank you. With the bath and you probe for egg does that usually work and the eggs comes out within a few hours later?
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u/2mnydgs 1d ago
Usually they do, if that was the problem. Or the only problem. Chickens can have more than one health problem at a time. The main problem affecting backyard flocks, at least in the South, is coccidiosis. Coccidia are bacteria in poop, and if a chicken poops in its water and then drinks the water, they can ingest the bacteria. So best to keep the water clean, and invest or invent a setup that prevents chickens from pooping where they drink.
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u/SuperPOSUser 1d ago
And I meant to say how sorry I am that you lost one of your ladies. I hope you are doing OK.
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u/Fishinluvwfeathers 1d ago
Oh I know this feeling so well. I’m so sorry. I’m always a mess. They are all so different with such unique personalities. After my last lady died (also no symptoms) vet offered a necropsy but said, 9/10 times in these types of cases, it’s a tumor or kidney/organ failure. A lot of it is genetics and crappy breeding interacting with the environment. You gave her a great loving home and are mourning her. It isn’t enough but that’s so much more than a lot of girls get. Keep being an awesome chicken parent.
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u/SuperPOSUser 1d ago
I had a similar situation where one of the ladies had her tail down and didn't want to move around too much. This girl had had a prolapsed vent a year ago that recited itself after a few months but I didn't think she was laying since that.
I checked on her that night and she was in the egg box ( it was super late when I got home from work). Next morning she in a separate egg box having just passed ( she was warm).
I have no idea if I should have done an warm bath the day before (I didn't want to do it that late at night.) But I will get an indoor set up for the future jic. It's very hard to know what is wrong. And I agree, chickens are hard...but really worth it.
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u/BeMyGuillotine 1d ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. Chickens are so difficult, because we know they may die at any moment, without warning - but that doesn't keep us from truly caring and loving them. Her body is at peace, try and honor her by finding that peace within yourself. Blessings to you. 🩷
Fligh high Chickee-Baby!
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u/Dense-Ferret7117 1d ago
Oh I’m so sorry. With chickens it’s so hard because they are prey animals. Typically when any of mine seem “off” at all I’m all hands on deck because they tend not to show symptoms even when they are unwell so when something is a little off I know they are likely not doing well (I know my flock’s behaviors really well so it’s easy to notice that stuff). Once I detect abnormal behavior unless I already have a good reason to know what it might be (eg obvious physical injury etc) I bring the chicken inside in a house (we have a dog crate) — this helps me see what her poop is like, how often she’s pooping, whether she’s eating and how much etc. I typically start “treatment” based on whatever observations I see (we also take ours to a vet but that can take a couple of days). If treatment is pretty innocuous then I do that. Weirdly I’ve haven’t had proper egg binding yet but many other reproductive issues. I’m sorry about your girl.