hilda-and-evadne Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 In September, I picked up two cuckoo marans that were sold to me as POL but I now think that one of them might have been a year old or more. Anyway, one of them (Dominique) thrived and grew larger, glossier, sassier and prettier and redder in the face. The other (Madeleine), the one I think might not have been POL (the breeder was noticeably vague about how many weeks old she was), did not grow at all and did not get heavier, despite eating and drinking normally. Dominique has started to crouch. What redness there had been in Madeleine's comb when I got her faded and did not return. I wormed all the hens two or three weeks ago. Three days ago Madeleine stopped eating. As I had been keeping her in a partitioned off part of the run because she tended to bully Dominique, it was obvious straightaway (just as much food left in the coop cup at the end of the day as there had been at the beginning of the day). So I took her out and hand-fed her every two hours during the day water and nice food like yogurt, tuna, sweetcorn, boiled egg, and let her rest all day in a spare eglu, as she didn't want to walk around. She took the food and water nicely but after a few mouthfuls would start to go to sleep. I am sure she wasn't in any pain. When I was feeding her, she was alert to what the other hens were doing but seemed weak and tired. She still slept with the other hens, and when I checked on them all through the egg port last thing, her head was always up and visible and, like the others, looking at me. Her poo was yellow and white. This morning, I opened the eglu door, the hens rushed out - all except Madeleine who I found dead inside. Would be grateful and interested to hear any theories as to why Madeleine died. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 so many possibilities.. A tumour as it grew taking blood supply... hence pale comb.. cancer of liver , liver rupyure... same... maybe egg laying internally... maybe a blockage of the intestines... just so many, a post mortem would maybe have enlightened.. i have had post mortems done on dozens and strangely there has been something different in all but 2! xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 so many possibilities..A tumour as it grew taking blood supply... hence pale comb.. [et seq] Thank you. just so many, a post mortem would maybe have enlightened.. i have had post mortems done on dozens and strangely there has been something different in all but 2! Not sufficient funds to pay for a post mortem, although it would have been interesting in a grisly sort of way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Only said as all different. Vets doing freed in order to learn. X. X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
