Graphic sad pics. Not sure what happened

[roseyred]

I woke up to feed the chckens and saw pepper laying on the ground from behind. He didn't get up when I walked in so I went around to look at her and she was gone. He had no wounds or attack marks. She had maybe a handful of feathers gone from her neck but no blood. Her body was frozen but it wasn't even that cold last night. I guess she got wet in the rain and never made it into the coop? I'm so sad about it. Anyone have an idea of what could have happened?

 

[amsirriana]

She may have flew into something and broke her neck, I had one that flew into the side of the coop. It is sad but It's gonna happen from time to time. Sorry

 

[Eggcessive]

This is fairly common. I found a hen once who was left outside accidentally overnight during a rainstorm in cool weather. It didn't seem that cold, but with being wet, she may have been really stressed. They get stiff pretty fast from rigor mortis. I have also found a hen dead in the coop in the same manor, and unless you send them into the state vet for a necropsy, it is difficult to pinpoint a reason, but heart problems, liver or kidney failure, egg binding, or a large worm load can all cause sudden death. With a fair number of chickens you will tend to lose one every now and then. I would examine her crop for impaction, and you can also perform a necropsy yourself, looking for egg binding, egg yolk peritonitis, worms inside the intestines, and gizzard blockage. The liver color, unusual amounts of fat or being overweight, and anything unusual coating the organs can give clues to what might have been wrong. Sorry for your loss.