[mad mark]

Got home from work last night and my daughter and I went out to collect the eggs from my shed, where we have four lovely ladies. I fed the chickens some corn while Thea went in to collect eggs, one of the ladies a blue was sat in one of the nest boxes looking rather sad. We went in for tea, me just thinking she was hot and bothered and laying. After tea went out and found her under the nest box on the floor of the shed dead.....there was a few tiny spots of blood on the newspaper in the shed but nothing major. She did perch early last night I had noticed while out there gardening. Only had the ladies just over three months so not an old bird. Scrubbed up the shed and cleaned it out. Rushed out this morning to check on the other three and they all seem okay just a bit skittish. Any thoughts on the problem. Thanks in advance folks....not told my daughter this morning yet as she had gone to bed last night by the time I had sorted the place out.

[joyfull]

oh dear mark sorry to hear about your loss - not sure what the reason for it could be but hopefully someone else will be able to help. Hugs to you all especially your daughter xx

[Roughlee Handled]

Had she been/started to lay yet?

[mad mark]

We have had a maximum of four eggs occasionally but most days two or three eggs. I am fairly sure I had seen her feathers in the nest so assumed she had laid before. They started laying two weeks after we got them. Its just over three months since we got them. No problems with them at all. Perched and laid eggs in the nest boxes we made for them. Seemed to eat well. Bit quiet on Monday night I noticed thinking back and my wife noticed she was laying down in the run alot yesterday.

[Roughlee Handled]

Shame about her.  The problem with chucks is that you do not know that they are ill till they are really ill. Because they are a predated animal it in there nature to mask any signs of sickness.  If you are thinking on replacing her I would suggest you go for two not one as the one will get picked on.

[Foxy]

Oh how sad! I am so sorry You mention spots of blood, are they really tiny, almost like little smears Mark? The reason I ask is that could be red mite, and they are very difficult to spot if you have not seen them before.

[mad mark]

Thanks for the advice Roughlee from Lancs.  How long do they generally live these chickens? Best breed to get do you think?

[mad mark]

Foxy. They were spots of blood about the size of a penny, no bigger. Would red mites kill a bird? I guess there were only about four or five spots on the newspaper.

[Foxy]

Well, red mite can kill a bird, although they go down hill very slowly, become aneamic due the blood sucking,particulary with a bad infestation. I really dont know what has happend here, the blood is likely to have come from her vent if no signs of injury, really sorry.

[Sue33]

sorry to hear about your chook mark, we've also got a poorly girl, it's looking like we might have to do the deed   

[Roughlee Handled]

A chicken can live 9+ years. But most hybrids will only lay for 2 1/2 years, 3 years, max 4 years.  Best breed is up to what you want. Eggs or temperament. For example a leghorn or hybrid version will lay well but is a very flighty bird and not an easy bird to handle.

Try these links.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

http://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/breeds.php?breed_type=Chickens

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html#Chickens

[bubs]

its quite possible that something attacked her i doubt if a rat would kill a chicken but a weasel or a stoat would definatley do the job , if the chickens are restless or outside a lot then something has certainly spooked them and if thats what killed your hen it will try again ,so keep your eye on them . good luck.

[mad mark]

WHAT! I dont think so as my garden is totally enclose with a stone wall and the birds are in a fully enclosed run. If a beast had killed it then there would have been a mess surely and the chicken looked a bit poorly an hour earlier. There were no signs of anything having attacked it. I have rat poison down in pipes just in case anyway and i have never seen the beasts anywhere in the small garden I have.
 

[treacleminer]

I have been told that some chooks can have heart problems, possibly with it being so hot and humid over the weekend she was suffering with something like that?

I have seen my chickens attack their sick comrade - if she was looking poorly the blood may have come from being pecked.

Hope she was a one off and all the others are fine.

[mad mark]

It was very hot over the weekend around here. The other three seem to be going on okay though they seemed abit skittish yesterday. My daughter was upset as she let them out this morning and asked where Bluebelle was!!! We had tears in abundance. We shall get used to it if we keep on with the chicken lifestyle I guess. The spuds, beans, corgettes, lettuce, herbs, cabbages,brocili, brussels,raspberries are growing well anyway.....and they dont need feeding as much..............