Found a chicken dead this morning. She was by the pop door in the coop, spread with a wing out. For several weeks, it's looked like she was molting, or about to start. She had lost some hair on her head, and looked like she'd lost and replaced some feathers on her back. I inspected her for mites or other creepy crawlies, and she's been clean. Otherwise she looked healthy. She'd been like this for up to a month. She was a 13-month old Barred Plymouth Rock. Some of the Light Brahma hens also have the new feathering on their backs, though they didn't have the hair missing on their heads.
I know some chickens drop dead suddenly, but due to the hair missing I'm thinking it might be something else. I went through lots of pages on here, and this list, and nothing stood out to me. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
I hadn't been spending a ton of time out with the chickens this past week, but from what I could tell her behavior was normal, didn't appear sluggish or dazed. I did notice last night watching her sister, the only other Barred Plymouth Rock, being overly aggressive pecking the rest of the chickens in the run. This was late evening, and I don't recall if I saw the now-dead chicken out there with her, it's possible she was dead in the coop last night. However, there is no evidence of "fowl play" on the dead bird, no scratches or cuts.
One of the reasons I hadn't been out with the chickens this week is because I'm pregnant, so have been preoccupied with other things. Being pregnant brings on many more concerns than I would have had before. Should I eat the eggs (both the eggs we have from the past few days, and the eggs the chickens who appear fine will be laying here on out)? I think I'm going to bring her body in to the State Vet on Monday for a necropsy. I've looked around and no one seems to do chicken necropsys on the weekends. I've been trying to avoid the bird and coop today, my husband put the bird in a box and took the photo. I guess it's unlikely that something from the bird would pass to me but I'm trying to be extra cautious with this now.
1. This was on their 1 year birthday last month, she's the Barred Rock in front. You can see her "fluff" feathers on her back.
2. Here's the dead bird. This eye, on the side where she was missing hair, is all glazed over and totally closed. Looks different from the "just closed" eyes of recently dead and sleeping birds. If anyone has any guesses, please help!!
Thanks for any info or suspicions any of you have!!
I know some chickens drop dead suddenly, but due to the hair missing I'm thinking it might be something else. I went through lots of pages on here, and this list, and nothing stood out to me. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
I hadn't been spending a ton of time out with the chickens this past week, but from what I could tell her behavior was normal, didn't appear sluggish or dazed. I did notice last night watching her sister, the only other Barred Plymouth Rock, being overly aggressive pecking the rest of the chickens in the run. This was late evening, and I don't recall if I saw the now-dead chicken out there with her, it's possible she was dead in the coop last night. However, there is no evidence of "fowl play" on the dead bird, no scratches or cuts.
One of the reasons I hadn't been out with the chickens this week is because I'm pregnant, so have been preoccupied with other things. Being pregnant brings on many more concerns than I would have had before. Should I eat the eggs (both the eggs we have from the past few days, and the eggs the chickens who appear fine will be laying here on out)? I think I'm going to bring her body in to the State Vet on Monday for a necropsy. I've looked around and no one seems to do chicken necropsys on the weekends. I've been trying to avoid the bird and coop today, my husband put the bird in a box and took the photo. I guess it's unlikely that something from the bird would pass to me but I'm trying to be extra cautious with this now.
1. This was on their 1 year birthday last month, she's the Barred Rock in front. You can see her "fluff" feathers on her back.
2. Here's the dead bird. This eye, on the side where she was missing hair, is all glazed over and totally closed. Looks different from the "just closed" eyes of recently dead and sleeping birds. If anyone has any guesses, please help!!
Thanks for any info or suspicions any of you have!!
