Dead hen

[Robblob]

I just checked my flock of 8 chickens (1 rooster 7 hens) and found one of the hens dead in the coop. I'm surprised since I've been out there twice today and none of them were acting unusual. Any reason why one could just drop dead?

One thing to note, I have noticed some loud noises during the morning which I just chalked up to hens laying since I'm new to this and they're new to laying. Maybe it was this hen in distress? I'm at a loss. Looking for any insight.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There's absolutely no way to tell without labwork. It could be any of 20+ things from Marek's to heart attack.

This is your lab where you can send the bird for necropsy.
Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Oklahoma State University, College of Vet. Med.
Farm & Ridge Road
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-0001
Phone: 405-744-6623
IAV-A, CSF, ND, FMD, PRV, IAV-S*

 

[Robblob]

So you're saying I shouldn't have thrown it in the creek? Lol

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Right. If you want to know what killed the bird, it should have been bagged and refrigerated and either driven or mailed to the lab with ice packs.

 

[Robblob]

I honestly didn't even know that was a thing. I would like to know, but not sure of the time and money to figure it out.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No worries. It is a learning curve. A single dead bird is to be expected from time to time. Be ready if you lose another. Multiple or rapid deaths is the time for lab work.
I send every bird to our vet school because I have such rare birds, it is imperative I know what killed them.

Every state is different on cost and time. In CA it is free. In MO, it is about $75 for a complete necropsy. They go through it with a fine tooth comb and you get a great writeup of all health aspects of the bird. It is worth every penny to me. I need to know if other birds need to be treated for anything. The ones I've had done died of cancer, heart attack and fatty liver disease. No other birds were affected. That is gratifying information.