Heat Stroke?

[RedneckRebel]

I went out to check on my flock and give them more water when I found one of my hens dead, she was a brown leghorn and was very small compared to the rest of the flock even though they are the same age, she has been getting up in the nesting boxes making funny noises and stuff at random times. I know she couldn't have been trying to lay an egg because she was merely 4 months, anybody have any clue to what might have happened?

 

[Haunted55]

Any other symptoms? I mean anything at all, even if you don't think it could have been related. Were the birds vaccinated for Marek's or Cocci? Any meds or 'colds' in their lives? How 'bout feed and suppliments? Treats?

 

[realsis]

Just wanted to say I'm so sorry for your loss! When you say she was making funny noises what exactly do you mean? Was it her breathing? Did it sound like a respiratory problem? Was it coughing? Just wondering to try and help you figure it out. was she panting? More info would be helpful. If its really hot where you live it could be the heat. again I'm so so sorry for your loss!

 

[Haunted55]

I think she meant the cooing sound they sometimes make when they are in distress. I've had them do that as well. Almost like singing. If I'm not mistaken, the leghorns start laying early just like the golden comets or any of the others who are bred for egg laying. I had a golden comet who started laying at 4 months of age. It may have had something to do with a laying issue but there are other things that could also cause this. More info is needed to make even an educated guess here.

 

[Judy]

I agree, that is not too young to start laying, especially for a Leghorn. The fact that she was smaller than the others might be the best clue. She may simply have had a genetic problem or defect. I'm sorry you lost her.

 

[RedneckRebel]

She wasn't vaccinated, and it was the distress cooing noise, she's never been sick, I gave them medicated feed until 17 weeks and then started on mixes of cracked corn and grower, no special treats besides the occasional blackberries, nightcrawlers, and the potato bugs eating the leaves on our potatoes, the hottest it's been here all year is 98°F, it was supposedly 92°F when I found her dead, I make my rounds checking on then regularly, an hour before I found her dead she seemed perfectly fine, her body was intact when I found and thank you all for your condolences.