Found broody Broody momma hen dead this morning

I bought a bantam Cochin a couple months ago as a broody hen (like when I picked her up she was broody). Brought her home, put her in the quarantine coop in my carport and gave her some eggs. She was a superstar.

She was skinny (she had been broody for a month and the owner decided to sell her rather than breaking her). She hatched out chicks no problem and she has been mothering them well for about 3 or 4 weeks. She was eating and drinking fine, had plenty of energy to keep up with the chicks.

I found her dead in the coop this morning (it was just her and the chicks in the coop)… all the chicks are fine and don’t seem sick in the least. She was skin over bones though… I feel terrible I didn’t check on her more frequently but she seemed completely fine. Comb and wattles bright red, eating and drinking well… and not to mention all the fluff made it hard to tell from afar but I decided to leave her to raise her brood with as little stress as possible. I have plenty of room to put them in a brooder but my first instinct based on her weight loss is worms. I cleaned out the coop and all the poops look completely normal but I’m concerned about the chicks should I treat them? Wait and see? Anything else it could be? All my other birds are healthy and have had no contact with her.

(Her comb looks pale in this photo but it’s due to the editing)

Poor mama!! So sorry she passed! I have no experience with hatching or broody hens, sorry

Sounds like brooding might've taken too much out of her, and she never really recovered. As long as the chicks are all active and healthy I wouldn't think there'd be too much cause for concern, but keep an eye on their eating and activity levels.

rosemarythyme said:

Sounds like brooding might've taken too much out of her, and she never really recovered. As long as the chicks are all active and healthy I wouldn't think there'd be too much cause for concern, but keep an eye on their eating and activity levels.

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Ok that’s good (relatively speaking)… how can I prevent this happening? I have two more profit hens that have been broody a week (I’m going to give them eggs that have been incubating).

The broody that passed was on chick starter since her chicks began hatching. It was my understanding that starter helps them put on weight like crazy?

TwistedTayy said:

Ok that’s good (relatively speaking)… how can I prevent this happening? I have two more profit hens that have been broody a week (I’m going to give them eggs that have been incubating).

The broody that passed was on chick starter since her chicks began hatching. It was my understanding that starter helps them put on weight like crazy?

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A brooding period of 4-5 weeks should be fine for most hens. The hen that died sounded like she had been brooding much longer than that. You can give your broodies chick starter while they are sitting to help them keep their weight up. I personally don't because my lot tend to get a bit fat and brooding is a good diet for them. I do however make sure I biff them off their nests every day when I fill the feeders in the morning, so they get dibs on the food and I know they have eaten.

So sorry about your hen. Hoping the chicks do well.

TheFatBlueCat said:

A brooding period of 4-5 weeks should be fine for most hens. The hen that died sounded like she had been brooding much longer than that. You can give your broodies chick starter while they are sitting to help them keep their weight up. I personally don't because my lot tend to get a bit fat and brooding is a good diet for them. I do however make sure I biff them off their nests every day when I fill the feeders in the morning, so they get dibs on the food and I know they have eaten.

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Yeah since I got her while she was broody, I really don’t know how long she had been broody for. Could have been 12 weeks for all I know. Yesterday I hatched a black bantam Cochin (what the hen was) on the day she died, from eggs I bought that were in the incubator so hopefully it’ll be a hen and be bellatrix 2

He probably let her hatch one to many times. Skinny hens have to be broken from going broody it can kill them. Sorry for your loss!.

TheFatBlueCat said:

The hen that died sounded like she had been brooding much longer than that.

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I agree, since she came broody when you got her it's unknown how long she sat for, and she may have lost too much of her condition during that time. Surprised that the move didn't break her broodiness but some hens reaaaally want to sit.

I agree that brooding took to much from her. She was one of those hens that's as I like to call overly broody they won't get up to eat or drink or anything. it's probably the fault of the person you bought her from who didn't make sure she ate or drank.
I am so sorry for your loss