The Barn and Fields > Animals and Homesteading

My chickens....

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Cheryl:
All I wanted was a small flock of laying hens.

I had that, I thought.  Something happened during the winter that changed everything.  I had around a dozen hens and 1 rooster.  Now I'm down to 4 hens and no rooster. 

Do chickens commit suicide?  It seems that's what mine did.  We had concrete blocks around the bottom of their run so they couldn't dig out.  Well, we started finding them upside down in the holes in the blocks.  They would apparently get in there and couldn't breathe and die if not found in time.  My rooster stayed out during the day because of the damage he was doing to the hens.  One day we found him dead under my husband's riding mower.  He'd gotten wedged up under the seat somehow and died.  Now keep in mind I've had chickens for YEARS and nothing like this has ever happened but all of a sudden I was having trouble almost daily.  They'd wedge themselves between the nest boxes and wall, in such tight places I could hardly get them out.  Their behavior changed so drastically that it's hard to put into words the trouble I've had with them.  Every day has been something new.  I had one hen climb head first into the feeder, nothing sticking out but feet.  I managed to save her that day but later found her dead in a block.

We had removed all the blocks surrounding their pen and had started letting them free range a bit because it seemed to help a little with the strange behavior, like they had something better to do than think up ways to frustrate me.  This seemed to work for a while until they would wind up under something and be found dead.  Everyone I've talked to said it sounds like something scared them, but we've been outside with them and maybe one would be separated from the flock for like literally a few minutes and we'd find a dead hen.  Just this afternoon, my pretty black Australorp died.  She'd been broody a few days and I went to check on her and found her dripping blood from her vent.  She was all by herself so I know another hen didn't do it to her.  I cleaned her up as best as I could and minutes later Emily checked on her and she'd pulled her insides out and died. 

So now I'm down to 4 hens, a Wyandotte, a buff orpington, a red star, and a barred rock.  I have to keep the red star separated from the others because they'd kill her if I gave them a chance. 

Emily still has her silkies but I miss my girls. :'(  At the same time I'm so ready to give them all up and just move on.  It's been a tough few months but what bothers me a lot is I don't know what caused all this.  I know this sounds all scattered but it's hard to describe the trouble I've had with these chickens.  Right now I'm very upset. :(

greyhoundgirl:
Oh Cheryl, how sad and strange!  I'm sorry about your girls.  :(  Are you by chance on the Backyard Chickens site?  I'd suggest asking on there about the weird behaviour thing...that is just odd.  The one today sure sounds like a prolapse, though.

Cheryl:
I've searched every board and website I can think of and I am totally at a loss.  I can hardly stand going in the coop now because it's so empty.

I know it's silly to get so upset over chickens, but I really did care for them.  Each one had her own personality and I miss them all. :'(

MoWin:
Oh Cheryl,

It is not silly at all to be upset about this. I would be too. Heck, I had a melt down over bad things happening around here a week ago. This is so strange. I am wondering if you chickens got some sort of poison that made them go crazy. Have you changed their feed or opened a new sack of feed just before this started? Any way they could get to lead paint or something else toxic? Something has definitely happened. Chickens can get frightened to death, but that would be all at once, not one at a time and I have never heard of them sticking their heads in something and just dying. I am going to check on some diseases and see what I come up with. I will let you know if I find anything at all. Hang in there. I know how sad this is for you. ((((HUGS)))))

Blessings,
Winona

MoWin:
Cheryl,

Are there any wind/turbine farms fairly close by you? Some are saying they can drive animals crazy. Something about the low hum and other things they put off.

Blessings,
Winona

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