Help what happened?

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Beano

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Help what happened?
« on: October 31, 2021, 10:01 »
I was just in the process of asking what was wrong with our young Wellsomer hen when she died. She was very lethargic this morning not interested in food or drink. She had a dirty bottom with green poo. She seemed fine yesterday and was out in the garden free ranging. I noticed that her bottom was dirty yesterday and she has not layed for a day or so. We put her in a little coop with some cider vinegar.  As I was typing we heard a noise and went out to find her dead. It was so sudden I wonder if she had pickedgeree up some poisonous plant material yesteady. I 'm so sad. She was not even a year old and such a lovely hen. I'm also worried for the others now. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
El.

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New shoot

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2021, 11:42 »
It is always horrible when this happens.  They do just up and die even at a young age on occasion.  The noise makes me think she had a heart attack or stroke.  That might have been brought on by a defect she has had from birth or illness.  The dirty bum might be a symptom or an underlying cause, it is really hard to say.

Are the rest OK in themselves as in eating, drinking and pooping as normal?


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Beano

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2021, 12:40 »
Thanks New shoot.
The other two are fine at the moment. I keep checking on them and panic a bit when I see them drinking water. The one that died was fine last night but very poorly this morning. Whatever it was had come on overnight. I wonder if she pecked at some poisonous plant when she was out in the garden yesterday.  I hope it's nothing contagious. 

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New shoot

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2021, 14:00 »
It could be something she pecked, but most poisonous plants taste nasty to chickens so they don’t tend to eat them.

As yours were out free-ranging yesterday, green poop would not be unexpected.  Any sudden and severe medical problem could have caused her to lose control of her back end and the green you saw was a natural emptying of what she had been eating, but in a messy uncontrolled way. 

There are a few basics like checking the coop for parasites, worming (heavy worm loads can cause green poop and put a huge strain on a hen), checking everyone is breathing normally with no bubbling around the eyes or nostrils.  Other than that, keep a close eye on the remaining 2 and if you see any signs of illness, get them to a vet, but with any luck this one sudden death may just be a one-off.

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grinling

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2021, 13:59 »
you can buy layer pellets with worming powder online.
What was your hen doing before her death, symptons etc?
have you had her long?
were turkeys present when you got them?

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Beano

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2021, 16:35 »
Hi Grindling,
She seemed fine going in the night before but when I let them out in the morning she had a dirty bottom and her tail was down. She was obviously sickly.  She went straight to the water while the other two went for their layers pellets.  I threw some mixed corn for her and she picked at one or two and just stood there. When I let them out into the bigger run, about half hour later, she was very slow. She let me pick her up as there was no fight left in her. Her crop was empty.  A little squishy but that was mostly water. There was no gurgling or foul smell, so it was not sour crop. We put her in a box with water with cider vinegar and some sunflower hearts. She had a fit and died. All of this happened within two hours. Before I had a chance to work out what was wrong.
We've had her and her sister for two months. They were healthy strong hens and layed regularly.
I think the people we bought them from had turkeys, but not sure.
I noticed that she had a small amount of poo on her bottom and that there were some runny poo in the coop, the day before but she was eating and looking well. So I wasn't too worried then. I'might sad and disappointed because she was bought to be a pet that would live a long life. I keep lchecking her sister and she seems to be ok. The other one is a hybrid Rock and has been vaccinated. Have you any ideas what caused such a catastrophic downturn in her health?

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grinling

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2021, 17:42 »
worm the others
Turkey question is because chickens which have been where turkeys are raised can pick worms up. This can kill hens when older, turkeys are fine. vet might be able to test live bird, someone on here had autopsy done.
cannot eradicate but you feed food with worming powder. histomoniasis.
If no turkeys then not that but worm anyway. Small bag and let them eat their way through it.
Chickens can drop dead, fingers crossed.
Someone on here had it, Prod 2015, thread Sudden Death.

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perris

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Re: Help what happened?
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2021, 08:31 »
chickens are very good at hiding any health problems they have, and they only reveal it when they are very seriously ill. This is not to suggest that your hen did not die a mysterious sudden death, but only to suggest that whatever killed her may rather have been building quietly for some time.



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