What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[andyjanec]

My 3 hens went on a short holiday to a friends yard while we went away. The day we returned my friend called to say that 1 of them had laid an egg that was streaked in blood. When i got there my Coral star, Pamela was sat on the floor of the run, comb flopped over, feathers fluffed up, blood clearly visible on her lower half, and the other two were pecking at her! I removed her and turned her over to see what I can only describe as a car crash! She had lots of missing feathers, raw skin, caked blood and poo, I have never seen anything like it.

I took the poor bird home in the warm, cleaned her up and made her a comfortable bed and gave her chicken vitamin drops. Minutes later she started squawking, flapping and contorting her neck from side to side then just died. It was horrific, and we were distraught! It just seems such a waste.

Can anyone shed any light on what may have happenned? Is blood on the egg a sign of anything or did the other two just turn on her?

[Steve the Gas]

Sad this has happened- but it does.

If hens spot blood and/or weakness in a hen, then I'm afraid, it's afree for all attack normally. This can result in death if not spotted soon enuff.

This is not your fault and could have easily happened whilst in your care, say if you were out a few hours even.

They are the closest living thing to a T.rex.

[Chucky Mama]

What an awful thing for you to have witnessed and for you poor hen to have gone through. I wonder if perhaps your girl prolapsed when she laid and the others then attached her. As Steve says,they can be pretty awful when there is blood and tissue exposed and will attack a weak hen.

[Plum]

So sorry it does sound like a prolapse. Even if the others hadn't gone for the blood and tissue they are really bad news and often don't recover. So sorry what a horrible thing to come home to.

[bevmatt]

Agree with the above - hens are cannibals and I love my hens dearly but you really do have to keep an eye on them. Any blood on any bird and they will just keep pecking away. I have had this happen to me once... Walked around checking my youngster at about 12.00 lunch - went inside to have my lunch and came out about 2 hours later and there was a carcass left. I was horrified. 2 hours before hand nothing wrong.

This has only ever happened to me once in 6 years of keeping poultry and breeding literally hundreds of birds so be reassured hopefully it won't happen to you again.

By the way - sometimes when you move your birds they do get stressed so things can happen - like a prolapse. Maybe in future it might be less stressful if a neighbour could let them in and out for you so they stay at home?

Bev

[andyjanec]

Hi all, thanks for your sympathy and support. The other two are happy at home now, and I will make sure they are not moved again.

 

Have noticed however that Gwen has also laid an egg with a little blood on it today. Any ideas why this might be? Anything to do with the cold weather? I picked her up and her vent was clean but there a little drop of blood on the inside of her cloacha which Nessa dosen't seem to be bothered by. Have cleaned her up and she seems otherwise fine and in good spirits.

 

This was the first sign of a problem for Pamela, so am naturally worried something is wrong with my chooks!

 

Any ideas folks, and Merry Christmas.

[Steve the Gas]

If now stopped - it will be a small vessel thats ruptured............... normally o.k.