# Mysterious death



## taoistchickenfan (Oct 6, 2015)

This is the scene, we have no clue what happened.... they are fed regularly, watered, etc.
Chicken is dead with its feathers pulled off, seems to have been trying to get away. The other chickens don't appear damaged in any way. The dead chicken has no perforations, just lots of feathers gone and dead in the corner.
I have two theories, but I'm eager for your opinions.


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

I would guess dog.

So sorry for your loss!!!!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Taoistchickenfan, I want to hear your two theories.


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## taoistchickenfan (Oct 6, 2015)

obviously it wasn't a dog, I've seen dog attacks. No blood or anything. My guess is it had a seizure or something, because it was quite old, and the other chickens pulled is feathers out because that's one of the things they do to new chickens or different ones.

The other one is just weird, maybe they were stressed because we stopped giving them sunflower seeds?


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## Alaskan (Aug 22, 2015)

Dogs can kill in many different ways (sigh, yes, I have seen it first hand).

I have seen them kill with no blood or bite marks, if they pick up the chicken gently and then shake it to death.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Did you notice if there were any broken feathers on your hen? Any blood or scabs from where feathers were pulled/plucked off her skin? Lastly, was she in molt?
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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi. Most chickens have seizure like actions when they die. It's the nerves. It could have died, had that seizure action then die. And the other chickens picked the feathers off. But that's a whole lot of feathers, so I don't know why she lost so many.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Alaskan said:


> Dogs can kill in many different ways (sigh, yes, I have seen it first hand).
> 
> I have seen them kill with no blood or bite marks, if they pick up the chicken gently and then shake it to death.


I can understand what you're saying, the dog may have picked the hen up by a mouthful of feathers.

Tao, I don't think lack of sunflower seeds caused anyone to die.

Did you look for any tracks? Openings? Tracks would be a give away.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I think dog, predatory cat or raptor when I see that. A raptor would've caused injury to the bird, usually a cat would as well. Dogs seem to pride themselves by pulling feathers out and shaking birds to death, a lot of dog attacks happen without external injury to the bird. 
I agree, that is a lot of feathers for the other chickens to have picked off.


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## taoistchickenfan (Oct 6, 2015)

*no cats or dogs*

No, the cage wasnt disturbed one iota, no teethmarks, there's no way in Hell that a dog or cat could have gotten in there and back out.
What I _felt _was what Seminole said.... its how I saw it in my mind.
Also, the cat are freaked out by the chickens and never even try to hurt them, must be those little peckers lol.
When the chickens are set out to roam, when they go after the cat food, the cats clear out. I am 100% sure it wasnt a dog or a cat. Also, why just one? That doesnt make sense.... one year a blood thirsty little chihuahua mix killed like 8 of them, little turd.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Broken feathers would be an indication that she was attacked. Also there would be blood or scabs (depending when rigor mortis set in) if feathers were pulled or plucked from her skin. 
Was she in molt? If so, that would account for the feather loss. I have a Barred Rock hen currently in molt and she has dropped about the same amount of feathers as your dead hen. She couldve died from seizure or heart/valve problem due to her old age as you mentioned.
You didnt mention if you have a rooster or not. Sometimes a rooster will eliminate an non productive hen due to old age.


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## MichaelA69 (Sep 5, 2015)

taoistchickenfan said:


> This is the scene, we have no clue what happened.... they are fed regularly, watered, etc.
> Chicken is dead with its feathers pulled off, seems to have been trying to get away. The other chickens don't appear damaged in any way. The dead chicken has no perforations, just lots of feathers gone and dead in the corner.
> I have two theories, but I'm eager for your opinions.


I know limber neck, aka botulism, is caused by chickens eating material containing toxins or poisons caused by clostridium botulinum. Nervousness, weakness, difficulty swallowing, progressive paralysis, and feathers being pulled out easily.

Good yard management with well draining soil, preventing contact with rotten material, rodents, and sanitizing waterers/feeders can prevent this. I'd suggest keeping nests off the ground at least a foot, a good raking of the yard, a thorough treatment of premises with Virkon S/Trifectant.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

You're right. Botulism can make feathers pull easily.


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