Re: Death of a Hen

From: nuele mersch (fowls_at_nuele-online.de)
Date: 12/28/04 

Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:55:29 +0100

Joel <nospam@nospam.mil> wrote:

Hi Joel,

> Blood was sprayed in fine droplets all along the nearby walls and ceilings.

This would also happen by a rapid movement of the head, I have seen the
same even from minor comb injuries of my cockerels.

> I guess I'll chalk this death up to "mysterious congenital defect".

Possible. I once had several chicks at the age of a few weeks die from a
rare (in chickens) congenital defect, an open ductus botalli. They all
had different mothers of different breeds! Their father was a mongrel
cockerel, so inbreeding definitely was not the cause of it. A post
mortem done by my vet revealed it. Unlikely does not mean it's
impossible.

Hope your others are doing fine.

Nuele (D)