Eglu Cube Coop and Accessories

[Silkiemum]

Have just had a terrible shock - went to give my girls a treat to find one of them not out with the others. Wondered if she might just be laying or even going broody so looked in the eglu and there Amy was, curled up on the roosting bars in the eglu stone cold dead. Not sure how long she had been dead for, poor girl. Not a mark on her, literally head down and eyes closed as if she had gone to sleep and not woken up. Poor dear Amy - she was a beautiful little Partridge Pekin - she barely maaged an egg a week but that was not why we had her - she was a lovely sweet little hen and our favourite of the three. THe other two - who are both Silkie cross - seem fine - but the obvious worry is that this is something that the other two could have or could catch. Any ideas anyone - feel terrible that we might have let her down and there was something we could have done. Really grateful for any advice or ideas.

[Olly]

Really sorry to hear that, it is a nasty shock when that happens, and very sad.

 

You will read this again and again on this forum, but it bears repeating - chickens are not very robust, they have 'a light hold on life' like most birds, and they can go downhill and die very rapidly; or, if they have heart problems, they can keel over with no warning at all. Further, because they don't want to lose their place in the pecking order, they will cleverly conceal any signs of illness so that by the time you notice they are looking off-colour, they may have been ill for a few days.

 

It's more likely than not that this was something you couldn't have predicted, and she may not even have shown any signs of illness so don't blame yourself. If she'd been sneezing/watery-eyed/otherwise off-colour, you would have noticed, so the chances are this was something sudden like a stroke or a heart-attack. In that case, it's pretty unlikely that your other birds will have been affected - of course you will be keeping a very close eye on them, in case they show any signs of illness, and it's natural to worry after a sudden death like this, but I hope that you will find they are fit and healthy.

[Chucky Mama]

I am sorry to hear that you have lost your hen. I can only echo what Olly has so eloquently posted.

[oneyolktoanother]

so sorry for your loss

[cathybc]

sorry for your loss. Sounds like it was peaceful for her x

[sandyhas3chucks]

Sorry for your loss, it is a horrid shock....

Olly's post has brought tears to my eyes.

So well put.