Tonight i lost a good laying hen. Moved her off her nest to collect tonights eggs, came back in with more water & she was dead. Medicated feed, oyster shell, grit & plenty of water. Never harvested a laying hen before (roosters & laying ducks yes). Couldn't make out a gizzard or a liver. Looked like those had gone through a blender on coarse chop. Any clues or suggestions?

-- Lynn Kutz (farm@mobilemassagewi.com), September 05, 2002

Answers

I have chickens but I've never seen anything like that. My guess would be they somehow got into a poison or something caustic or else it's some weird parasite. How are the rest doing? Have anymore died? If you get more you might want to take one to the county extension office. Sorry I couldn't be of more help but I just have never heard of anything like that in raising chickens for 35 yrs.

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), September 07, 2002.