A death in the coop...

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It's a sad day here on our little acre.

I made sure last night that the ladies had plenty of feed and water so I wouldn't have to go out to the coop with my 1 yr old daughter this morning as we are having a few cold days right now. So I wait until my lunch break to go out and check on them. I open the door and see our Buckeye hen has passed.

So I start thinking about the past few days for signs. 

The fact that she was in the nesting box makes me remember "egg bound." and I googled it. Its where an egg is stuck inside and cannot be laid. Symptoms can include an exceptionally small egg. We got one on Thursday.  I didn't think anything of it, thinking they sometimes happen.  We had a hen in a hurry. But I dont think it was that as I couldn't feel an egg.. 

 Thursday night, we put bird netting over the run to keep any eagles or hawks out (and with any luck, Crow in. -Yep, she has already found her way out again) and while we were doing that, we didnt notice anything off with anyones. 

Saturday, we had 12 of our 13 hens lay an egg. IMPRESSIVE! Not every day does almost every single hen lay an egg. Now, I know who 13 would have been. 

Sunday, so I didn't think much of everyone hanging out in the coop, and were all crowded together or hanging out in the nesting boxes. 

I called friend who I got the chickens from and she couldn't think of anything that it could be, but said sometimes death happens and keep an eye on the rest. She said that bird was only a year old. 

She also was telling me she received her hatching eggs today. I'm excited to see these purple eggs shes gonna have soon!


Hopefully I will have a happier post tomorrow.



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