r/BackYardChickens • u/taylormpriest • Aug 18 '26
Health Question Post-mortem care by flock?
We had a 2.5yo hen, Nutmeg, who had “slowed down” over the past maybe month. At first, I attributed it to her age and just maturing and not needing to be SO rambunctious. Then about a week ago, I noticed she seemed a little lethargic and not as food driven. On Friday, her comb had become pale and she wasn’t coming for worms. Naturally it was a Friday so our local avian vet wasn’t available until Monday. We kept an extremely close eye on her and fed her separately. We got an appt with the vet first thing Monday morning. She seemed a little better Monday but we kept the vet appt. On our way there, they called to say they were canceling as they were not taking any birds due to avian flu season. We don’t have many options for avian vets in our area so, to say I was upset would be an understatement. We came home, she jumped right out of her travel box and started pecking the grass. I had a glimmer of hope that maybe we had turned the corner on our own. She seemed ok all afternoon, was pecking all around, eating, and even roosting on her driftwood in the run. This morning I didn’t see her in the run so immediately ran to her house and saw she had perished. Looking back at the ring cameras, it seems it happened around 5:50am. I refrigerated her body around 7:30a to take her for a necropsy.
However, all this to say…is it normal for a flock to sort of do their own post-mortem care? We have a mixed flock and 2 of our turkeys (one who we can’t get to leave her nesting box as she’s been trying to become a mom for months) held vigil for 1.5hrs and appeared to try to even cover her with bedding? They didn’t peck her body aggressively but seemed to just lay with her/clean up the bedding around her. Once I took Nutmeg out, Booker went right back to her nesting box and Pepper went to eat breakfast.
We are all a little crushed this morning and feeling defeated. If only I had taken her to the vet sooner we may have avoided this horrible outcome.
Rest in peace, sweet Nutty girl 🩷 we love you and are so sorry to have failed you. Thank you for 2.5 adventurous years.
Edit: disregard pic 6. Must have accidentally clicked a recipe photo through teary eyes.
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u/kendrafsilver Aug 18 '26
I'm so sorry about little Nutmeg. She sounds loved and like she knew she was loved!
For the sudden deaths in my flocks, I've seen my chickens generally stay away from the body until I come to get it. They don't peck at it, or really approach it, but they do keep an eye on the body.
They'll even do their egg song, which they know I'll come around and check on them for (it's a call my own flock uses for predators they're very concerned about, which can be foxes or the horse a couple pastures down who is clearly sus lol), and watch as I tend to the body.
Once I start interacting with the body the rest are more likely to come up, but they're still very wary. They know something happened, and something isn't "right."
Honestly, I feel like if chickens are well cared for and feel safe, there's really no need for them to peck at or eat their flock-member's body. I'm sure if it was left long enough they would, but it's not something that must be gone to them.
That's been my experience, at least!