What's a normal chicken mortality rate?

[Widgeon]

Chicken help required oh wise (and vitally, more experienced) ones. We had six hens and a cockerel; the hens are all three years old and the cockerel a bit younger. All of them are heritage breeds (Bluebell, sussex, white star) and came from a highly reputable breeder.

About three months ago we lost one of the Bluebells. For a few months before she died she'd stopped hopping up onto the roost at night, but seemed otherwise fine (eating, drinking, laying every couple of days). We lifted her up every night and thought nothing much of it, until one day she was very clearly poorly (sat quietly in a corner, not really eating). I put her in a clean warm box with food and water, away from the others so she was comfortable and quiet, and she died that night. There was nothing visibly wrong with her and the others are all fine and perky.

Yesterday we noticed that one of the Sussexes was ill. She was sat on the floor under the roost, lethargic. We put her in an unused nest box and I don't think she left it all night. I also don't think she's pooed, so she can't be eating. This morning I moved her to a clean warm cage with water and some grapes, but I don't think she'll last until tomorrow. She's not visibly distressed, just tired, and I don't think the vet will be able to do much so I'm planning to just keep her comfortable.

I'm a bit worried to have lost two relatively young chickens inside a few months. Should I be concerned? Or could it just be a sad coincidence and chickens do just die sometimes? I've not had chickens before so I have no idea what a "normal" mortality rate is. Obviously I will clean and disinfect the hen house etc this weekend.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I currently have a 4 year old ex bat hen who is starting to go downhill very similar to yours but she is still eating and drinking (just). She is probably my oldest hen as my previous ones who were a mix of bluebelles and sussexes never survived beyond 3 1/2. Some had strokes and others just died overnight without any issues. In contrast my bantams have always lasted much longer than the chickens so I don’t think what you are describing is unusual.

 

[cobgoblin]

Bluebell and White Star are hybrid breeds not heritage. True Sussex are a heritage breed but there are lots of hybrids that look the same.
Hybrids don't live as long, I found that if they made it past 4yrs then they lasted until 7, 8, or 9yrs.

 

[Widgeon]

I currently have a 4 year old ex bat hen who is starting to go downhill very similar to yours but she is still eating and drinking (just). She is probably my oldest hen as my previous ones who were a mix of bluebelles and sussexes never survived beyond 3 1/2. Some had strokes and others just died overnight without any issues. In contrast my bantams have always lasted much longer than the chickens so I don’t think what you are describing is unusual.

Oh thank goodness. Thank you so much, that's a big relief. I'll carry on as I am then and try not to worry about it!

 

[Widgeon]

Bluebell and White Star are hybrid breeds not heritage. True Sussex are a heritage breed but there are lots of hybrids that look the same.
Hybrids don't live as long, I found that if they made it past 4yrs then they lasted until 7, 8, or 9yrs.

Thanks. Really helpful! I suspect the Sussexes we have will probably be some kind of hybrid too. Sounds like it's normal then.

 

[Widgeon]

True Sussex are a heritage breed but there are lots of hybrids that look the same.

By the way, how did you find Sussexes as layers? Our White Stars are absolute machines - they lay every day - but are rather aggressive characters. The Sussexes have been hopeless (I can then our freeloaders!) and the Bluebells have been a nice compromise - decent layers and calm, easy to handle birds. I don't know if we've just been unlucky with the particular Sussexes we've got.

 

[cobgoblin]

Thanks. Really helpful! I suspect the Sussexes we have will probably be some kind of hybrid too. Sounds like it's normal then.

Yes, it's normal but disappointing. I always feel the hybrids lay themselves to death.
I used to keep various pure bred chickens, most of them would lay about twice a week but they did live longer on the whole. The trouble is that they are very expensive now.

 

[cobgoblin]

By the way, how did you find Sussexes as layers? Our White Stars are absolute machines - they lay every day - but are rather aggressive characters. The Sussexes have been hopeless (I can then our freeloaders!) and the Bluebells have been a nice compromise - decent layers and calm, easy to handle birds. I don't know if we've just been unlucky with the particular Sussexes we've got.

Maybe you've got the real deal Sussexes then.
I Iiked White Stars. I found them nervy rather than aggressive, although we did have one that was forever in the kitchen.

 

[Widgeon]

Yes, it's normal but disappointing. I always feel the hybrids lay themselves to death.

Honestly I'm amazed our White Stars have survived this long! I was thinking maybe Rhode Islands next time round....our cockerel is a Rhode Island Red and he's a total sweetie. And he looks magnificent.

 

[Flyermc]

I have 2 buff orpington ladies and they are VERY laid-back and really soft ladies. They arent amazing egg layers, they dont lay over winter and are probably broody at least twice over summer, but they are great pets.

 

[SO1]

My sister has battams and they tend to keep going till about 5 or 6. The pekins seem to do better than the silkies. She also has some pekies which are pekin/silkie crosses so will see how they fare.

All battams are very friendly.

The last silkie she lost was slowly deteriorating and then in the last 10 days was in chicken hospice which meant she was in a box in their house near the radiator and they suringed chicken tonic into her but she stopped eating and eventually passed away peaceful.

 

[Widgeon]

I have 2 buff orpington ladies and they are VERY laid-back and really soft ladies. They arent amazing egg layers, they dont lay over winter and are probably broody at least twice over summer, but they are great pets.

That's ok, none of ours really lay over winter and we'd quite like some chicks so broody is fine. The current bunch don't have a maternal bone in their bodies - whenever one is sat on eggs we encourage it but it never lasts more than 24 hours!

ETA - see below - I am ceasing to function and what I in fact meant was that our cockerel is an Orpington. And he's also very friendly.

 

[Widgeon]

The last silkie she lost was slowly deteriorating and then in the last 10 days was in chicken hospice which meant she was in a box in their house near the radiator and they suringed chicken tonic into her but she stopped eating and eventually passed away peaceful.

Thank you I think I'm probably doing the right thing then. I might bring her inside to keep her warmer and make it easier to feed her. I'm giving her rabbit recovery mixed with baby food in a syringe and she is swallowing it down....I've checked the chicken dose of Metacam too so she can have a tiny bit of that (she's only a small bird so it really would be a sniff of it).

Bantams are an interesting alternative idea....a neighbour had bantams and they were hilarious little things. Very friendly. She lost half of them to a fox and I was very upset for her.

 

[Widgeon]

Honestly I'm amazed our White Stars have survived this long! I was thinking maybe Rhode Islands next time round....our cockerel is a Rhode Island Red and he's a total sweetie. And he looks magnificent.

What am I talking about? He's not a Rhode Island. He's a Buff Orpington. Clearly the stress is getting to me! I'm not making sense any more....

 

[KittenInTheTree]

They live just long enough to break your heart when they go.

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve got 2 10 year old Dutch bantams here. They live forever as they are so impossible. I won’t replace them as lock down does not agree with such active little birds. (I have younger ones as well). They are in next doors lambing barn as we speak, going through the hay. And probably laying their eggs in impossible places .
My Wyandotte banties live until 8 ish on the whole.
Hybrids are prone to egg peritonitis, which is horrible.

 

[Widgeon]

Hybrids are prone to egg peritonitis, which is horrible.

Thanks - have just looked this up and although I don't think she has most of the symptoms, she does have the occasional "penguin like stance" which is worrying. I think if she hasn't died quietly within 24 hours I might have her put to sleep by the vet. I hate the idea that she might be in pain. The last one we had die was okay one day, dead within 24 hours - it was quick. I was expecting that to happen here but it hasn't.

 

[Widgeon]

They live forever as they are so impossible.

Ha! This is always the way!