# Mystery Blood In The Hen House..



## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

_Okay, so about a week ago now, I went out to the hen house one morning and on the floor there was blood. About the amount of a sqaushed cherry tamatoe. We have 2, 1 metre long perches and there was blood on both of them, and on the nest boxes.

Both hens apear to be fine, laying eggs, eating, drinking, perching, running about.

Checked the coop for mites - nothing there.

Does anybody have any ideas?
Regards,
Little Missy. _​


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

could one of the cut there foot on something?

juliex


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

paddyjulie said:


> could one of the cut there foot on something?
> 
> juliex


_Checked the hens over, and nothing apparent there. Angel had a little blood on her leg, but it was just where she'd stood in it as it rubbed off and there was no cut. Do they ever pass blood when they don't lay an egg? Because we got our first egg off Nutmeg in about 3-4 days. 
Cheers,
Little Missy. 

x_​


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

i could be that , we would often get a little blood on the egg when they layed for the first time xx

juliex


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

paddyjulie said:


> i could be that , we would often get a little blood on the egg when they layed for the first time xx
> 
> juliex


_Well, it wasn't exactly her first time, but her only egg in about 3-4days.. Yet the blood was on the floor, but it had obviously been carried on the bird up to the perches and nestboxes. So I really have no idea, as they're both the perfect picture of health, as far as I can see.. _​


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## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

Have you checked for rats? Can they get in? Sometimes a bite can be hard to see as the scab may be black.


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

_Checked for rats, no signs. Her legs are white so, I think I'd of seen a black wound? 
Also, the blood had some substance to it, like a fleshy pulp.. Even more confusing. 
Thanks,
Little Missy.. _​


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## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

Sounds like clotted blood.


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

Cascara said:


> Sounds like clotted blood.


What does this mean? Will she be okay?


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## terry_flowers (Nov 12, 2009)

Dont worry as the others said, its probably just came with the egg-laying process.

Has anyone noticed that in rare cases, when your birds do bleed a little, some chickens develop a 'taste' for blood? And as a result become a tad 'nippy'?


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

terry_flowers said:


> Dont worry as the others said, its probably just came with the egg-laying process.
> 
> Has anyone noticed that in rare cases, when your birds do bleed a little, some chickens develop a 'taste' for blood? And as a result become a tad 'nippy'?


_I read that somewhere. Mine haven't become anymore 'nippy' but one of them was at this blood before I could get it mopped up! _​


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## Zayna (Apr 19, 2009)

This might not apply to chickens but we noticed blood on our cockatiel a few months back and when we checked her over it turned out she had broken a blood feather. They can bleed quite a lot and can be a bit dangerous. Luckily in her case the bleeding had already stopped. Was just a bit of dried blood on her.

Could it be that?? Have they been moulting recently cos thats when you normally get the new blood feathers.


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

Zayna said:


> This might not apply to chickens but we noticed blood on our cockatiel a few months back and when we checked her over it turned out she had broken a blood feather. They can bleed quite a lot and can be a bit dangerous. Luckily in her case the bleeding had already stopped. Was just a bit of dried blood on her.
> 
> Could it be that?? Have they been moulting recently cos thats when you normally get the new blood feathers.


I've only notived one feather in the hen house, so I guess they're only moulting lightly. 
Glad your bird is okay.
Thanks for you comment.


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## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

or eating the feathers....


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## Angel44 (Feb 11, 2008)

Could it possibly have been an engorged tick? We had one on one of our aviary birds once  If they fall off the hens would have pecked at it or possibly stood on it, causing it to pop. They then look a bit pulpy - yuk!


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

Cascara said:


> or eating the feathers....


Is that bad? Doesn't sound to good.. What time of year do they moult?


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

Angel44 said:


> Could it possibly have been an engorged tick? We had one on one of our aviary birds once  If they fall off the hens would have pecked at it or possibly stood on it, causing it to pop. They then look a bit pulpy - yuk!


Thanks, but it looked to much blood to have come from a tick. And maybe, with them being ticks, I might of found more?

Thanks,
Little Missy.


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## Cascara (Jul 27, 2009)

Feather eating can lead to pecking of quills and canabalism so not its not good, but very often during a moult which should take place at the end of the summer or early autumn they might eat the dropped feathers as they are exactly what they need to make new ones.


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

Cascara said:


> Feather eating can lead to pecking of quills and canabalism so not its not good, but very often during a moult which should take place at the end of the summer or early autumn they might eat the dropped feathers as they are exactly what they need to make new ones.


Okay, thanks. Very helpful.


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