princess Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 This is the first time I have ever used this forum and I need a bit of advice. I have had three chickens since March. They are very happy free ranging in our garden. Each one has been laying an egg everyday since May. This morning my partner let the chickens into the run at about 6 they were fine. At about 9.3o I was in the shower when I heard the girls making a noise which is unusual. Nothing could prepare me for the sight. Elvis (my favourite and the most tame) was dead in the run with her intestine (a lot of it) hanging out of her vent. There was blood EVERYWHERE. The other two girls were pecking at her intestines. There were flys everywhere. I took the other two girls to freerange in the garden as normal and started the big clean up. In the nesting box was a HUGE egg covered in blood (which explains the prolapse) and again there was blood everywhere inside the eglu. I was so upset. What I want to know is if I had noticed the prolapse of intestine could I have pushed it back in and saved her? There was so much of it though? Does this happen often? I am wondering if this has happened to anyone else. I work in operating theatres and honestly this was one of the most gorey things I have ever seen in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I can't offer any advice I'm afraid but just wanted to say how sorry I am that you had to find your chicken like that. I'm sure someone will be on here soon to give you some advice as to what may have caused her to have a prolapse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hello princess. What a terrible experience for you....and for poor Elvis. I am very sorry to read about it. It sounds as though she had a severe prolapse which the other hens pecked at, causing the extreme damage you describe. Even if you had noticed it straight away, there might not have been anything you could do. It does happen, but is not an everyday occurrence. Am really sorry you have had this horrible experience. Let's hope your next post will be a happier one for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princess Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 Thanks for posts. Just in shock. I hope she didn't suffer but it looks like she did. I don't want it to happen to my other two even if that means no more eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 what a horrible thing to happen, i am so sorry sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chook norris Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 hi, sorry to hear about elvis, unfortunately the same thing happened to one of my first chickens two months after i got them. they were hybrids from omlet. she was laying everyday for about a month then one day i found her dead in the run. she didn't show any signs of ill health before it happened. there was quite a bit of blood so i understand how distressing it must have been for you. did you get your hens from omlet or from a different supplier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 what a nasty shock for you . to be honest with a prolapse so severe I doubt there was much you could have done. Like eglutine says, it does happen, but its not everyday thank goodness. So sorry you lost Elvis in this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princess Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 I got them from omlet. She was fine this morning when my partner let them out. I must admit it is a shock. Is it because she was a hybrid? Is it better to have a pure breed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 TBH Princess, as the others have said, with a prolapse that severe, there wouldn't have been anything you could have done to help her. Pure breeds don't lay as often, no such big eggs, so are less prone to problems with their egg-laying tackle. You won't get so many eggs, but you will still have a lovely bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I'm so sorry it must have been very distressing for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sorry to here about this - I am sure you couldn't have done anything. My two hybrids often lay big eggs (biggest 101g) and that is always a worry. On the other hand my pure breed always lays an egg around 58g - but that is when she decides to lay. When she arrived she stopped laying for 2½ weeks, she hurt her foot and stopped for another 2 weeks. She has laid everyday for the last couple of weeks and now no eggs for 4 days - although she is perfectly happy and well and enjoying life in the garden with the other two. Clearly you do not want to go through this again, but it would seem to me you are very unlucky to loose such a young hen in this way. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 So sorry to hear about your poor chook No one should have to go through an experience like that. Kind regards Dodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Just wanted to say how sorry I am that you lost your hen in such a traumatic way. I'm sure that others have comforted you with the fact that it's highly unlikely that the loss could have been prevented. Nature isn't particularly kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 So sorry to hear this.. what a horrid experience. I hope you feel better soon as sounds like nothing you could have done to save her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princess Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 I really hope there was nothing I could do. Thank you so much for all your posts it has helped me so much. xxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoop Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sounds awful. It must have been a real shock to see that. To be honest, I've never heard of that happening (obviously it does), but I'm sorry for you and little Elvis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 What a ghastly way to lose a chook...poor you. However, on a more positive note, welcome to the forum. We appear to be building up quite a community of chicken keepers in Worcester! Whereabouts are you (if you don't mind me asking)? I am in Leigh, nr Alfrick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I am so so sorry, that must have been awful for you. Poor Elvis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princess Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 What a ghastly way to lose a chook...poor you. However, on a more positive note, welcome to the forum. We appear to be building up quite a community of chicken keepers in Worcester! Whereabouts are you (if you don't mind me asking)? I am in Leigh, nr Alfrick. I live in Lower Wick. I'm not sure where Leigh or Alfrick are. I am glad I posted today. Everyone is so nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Leigh is a couple of miles off the main Worcester to Hereford road, so we are pretty close! We ought to organize a hen party one of these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 so sorry to hear about your hen, sounds like a really bad prolapse, probrably nothing you could have done about it - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 So sorry for you I've only had to deal with 1 dead chook and that involved no blood and it was hard enough, so I couldn't imagine what it was like for you having to go through that. Doesn't sound like you could have done anything about it though so don't worry on that front. Now to find another 2 chooks to cheer you Elvis's friends up I personally think pure breeds are the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 how sad, and horrible for you. it really doesnt sound as if you could have made any difference tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 poor you - that is an awful experience. Nothing much to add to what others have said, except that I've been reading and posting on here for more than a year, and from what I've read prolapses are not very common, and are usually much less severe. You have had a very rare and unfortunate experience, I'm so sorry to hear about it but from all I've read it isn't likely to happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
