• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Dead hen

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
This morning I done my 6:30am feed and chat with the birds. Spike had laid an egg and looked very unwell. She died right in front of me before I could even get in the aviary arrgghhhh
In tears I picked her up and saw why. She had prolapsed so bad that not just the vent had come away but her internal organ leading to it.
I am absolutely beside myself.. why did this happen. She has had 2 nests and hadnt fed her chicks. As I have posted I have removed nest sites to prevent nests being built. My other hens pop out eggs no problems but I have chosen to rest them now.
Is this part of keeping canaries and Skipe was an unwell hen in general
 

MagpieDragon

Jogging around the block
Joined
10/26/17
Messages
725
I am so sorry for your loss of Spike :sadhug2:

Hope you can find out what happened to her :(
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
I think that she had already had a struggle previously and wasn't aware of how serious it was. I had to clean up her bottom but she had seemed fine. In hind sight which is useless I should have rested her and not let her stay in the aviary
I do think a few things were at play here and the combination was fatal
Need to set up one area for hens..young and retired to try and avoid this happening again l. I dont know how other aviaries work with both sexes occupying it ..or does this happen from time to time?
I feel like its all my fault..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jas

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Im all emotional about poor Spike. Just trying to work out what to do so it wont happen again. I got 3 areas. The aviary is the main home. .a newly made bird room soon ready and the bachelor cage. Acouple of the males do not get on..its a puzzler but determined to put this right somehow in her memory
 

sheeluhwhet

Walking the driveway
Joined
12/25/17
Messages
231
Real Name
Gemma
I'm so sorry for your loss :sadhug:
You must have loved Spike, and done your best to take care of her during her time with you. I hope you find out what really happened, so you and your babies don't have to suffer this loss again.

I don't have experience with having an aviary, but having a seperate are for hens sounds like a good idea.
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Thank you. Need an early night me thinks..feeling shattered with it all.

Im always learning so sadly I will learn from this...gonna rearrange my birds somehow to let the hens rest more me thinks..keep the cock birds away from the younger hens too. .i do wonder if this was part of the overall issue
 

Serin

Sprinting down the street
Joined
3/18/18
Messages
459
Location
Indiana
Some birds will always be prone to issues, it is part of keeping a large number of animals. The more you keep, the more death you're bound to see.
I have never seen a prolapse, but they do occur, and there's nothing that can be done to predict or prevent it.
Sorry for your loss.
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Thank you, you are all so kind.

@Serin has made a very good point. .the more birds we/I have the more deaths we see..a very good and valid point.

I have wrestled all day with the dilemma on how to do everything I can to prevent this from happening again..I have drawn up a plan. I am going to have an extension to the aviary which can be partioned off if need be for the boys. The aviary will be open for the next breeding season and closed off purely for the hens during their rest and growth of the youngsters. I do think the cock birds need a break too so this will suit both.
 
Top