Hen found dead

[LuvMahChikies]

one of my otherwise healthy black australorp girls was found dead in the henhouse this morning. She was just lying on her side, no blood or ruffled feathers or other signs of attack. Was laying daily, eating well... any ideas what could’ve killed her?

 

[chickens really]

Heart attach

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

one of my otherwise healthy black australorp girls was found dead in the henhouse this morning. She was just lying on her side, no blood or ruffled feathers or other signs of attack. Was laying daily, eating well... any ideas what could’ve killed her?

So sorry, I had this happen to one of my girls a couple of years ago. There is a thread here that discusses it. "Sudden Chicken Death". My girl also showed no sign of trauma and had laid an egg that morning.

 

[azygous]

So sorry you lost your hen, but unless you can give us a rundown on her symptoms and behavior, and activities prior to finding her dead, it's impossible to know what killed her. You could, however, take her body to a lab and order a necropsy to find out the cause of death. I highly recommend this.

If you choose not to go that route, here's a list of just some of the things that can kill a chicken. Take your pick:

Diseases caused by Viruses

• Avian Influenza
• Avian Encephalomyelitis
• Big Liver and Spleen Disease
• Chicken Anaemia Virus Infection (or CAV)
• Egg drop syndrome (or EDS)
• Fowl Pox
• Inclusion Body Hepatitis (or Fowl adenovirus type 8 )
• Infectious Bronchitis
• Infectious Bursal Disease (or Gumboro)
• Infectious Laryngotracheitis
• Leucosis
• Lymphoid Leukosis
• Lympoid Tumour Disease (Reticuloendotheliosis)
• Marek’s Disease Virus or MDV
• Newcastle Disease
• Runting/stunting and malabsorption syndromes
• Viral Arthritis (Tenosynovitis)

Diseases caused by Chlamydia

• Chlamydiosis

Diseases caused by Mycoplasmas

• Mycoplasmosis – MG (Mycoplasma gallisepticum; MG infection; Chronic Respiratory Disease)
• Mycoplasmosis – MS (Mycoplasma synoviae; infectious synovitis)

Diseases caused by Bacteria

• Botulism
• Colibacillosis
• Infectious Coryza
• Fowl Cholera (or pasteurellosis)
• Necrotic Enteritis
• Paratyphoid
• Pullorum
• Spirochaetosis (Avian Intestinal Spirochaetosis)
• Tuberculosis (Avian Tuberculosis)

Diseases caused by Fungi

• Aspergillosis
• Favus
• Moniliasis (Candidiasis; crop mycosis)

Diseases caused by Protozoa

• Coccidiosis
• Cryptosporidiosis
• Histomoniasis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Trichomoniasis

Diseases caused by Internal Parasites

• Round worms
• Caecal worms
• Capillary worms
• Tape worms

Diseases caused by External Parasites

• Several types of louse (insect; plural – lice)
• Stickfast flea (insect)
• Fowl tick
• Several types of mite (acarid)

Diseases caused by Metabolic Disorders

• Ascites (waterbelly)
• Cage Layer Fatigue and Rickets
• Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome

Diseases caused by environmental factors

• Cannibalism (or aggressive pecking)

Pests

• Darkling Beetles

 

[Fishkeeper]

Could have been a disease, could have been she had a birth defect in her heart that finally gave way, could have been a stroke. If your others are all healthy and this doesn't happen again, probably something more like the latter two.

 

[LuvMahChikies]

So sorry it’s been a while but THANK YOU for your responses.

There were no symptoms beforehand. Eating and drinking normally, seemed energetic, everything seemed fine.

She was my favorite girl, of course Sure will miss her.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry about your girl.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry you lost your hen, but unless you can give us a rundown on her symptoms and behavior, and activities prior to finding her dead, it's impossible to know what killed her. You could, however, take her body to a lab and order a necropsy to find out the cause of death. I highly recommend this.

If you choose not to go that route, here's a list of just some of the things that can kill a chicken. Take your pick:

Diseases caused by Viruses

• Avian Influenza
• Avian Encephalomyelitis
• Big Liver and Spleen Disease
• Chicken Anaemia Virus Infection (or CAV)
• Egg drop syndrome (or EDS)
• Fowl Pox
• Inclusion Body Hepatitis (or Fowl adenovirus type 8 )
• Infectious Bronchitis
• Infectious Bursal Disease (or Gumboro)
• Infectious Laryngotracheitis
• Leucosis
• Lymphoid Leukosis
• Lympoid Tumour Disease (Reticuloendotheliosis)
• Marek’s Disease Virus or MDV
• Newcastle Disease
• Runting/stunting and malabsorption syndromes
• Viral Arthritis (Tenosynovitis)

Diseases caused by Chlamydia

• Chlamydiosis

Diseases caused by Mycoplasmas

• Mycoplasmosis – MG (Mycoplasma gallisepticum; MG infection; Chronic Respiratory Disease)
• Mycoplasmosis – MS (Mycoplasma synoviae; infectious synovitis)

Diseases caused by Bacteria

• Botulism
• Colibacillosis
• Infectious Coryza
• Fowl Cholera (or pasteurellosis)
• Necrotic Enteritis
• Paratyphoid
• Pullorum
• Spirochaetosis (Avian Intestinal Spirochaetosis)
• Tuberculosis (Avian Tuberculosis)

Diseases caused by Fungi

• Aspergillosis
• Favus
• Moniliasis (Candidiasis; crop mycosis)

Diseases caused by Protozoa

• Coccidiosis
• Cryptosporidiosis
• Histomoniasis
• Toxoplasmosis
• Trichomoniasis

Diseases caused by Internal Parasites

• Round worms
• Caecal worms
• Capillary worms
• Tape worms

Diseases caused by External Parasites

• Several types of louse (insect; plural – lice)
• Stickfast flea (insect)
• Fowl tick
• Several types of mite (acarid)

Diseases caused by Metabolic Disorders

• Ascites (waterbelly)
• Cage Layer Fatigue and Rickets
• Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome

Diseases caused by environmental factors

• Cannibalism (or aggressive pecking)

Pests

• Darkling Beetles

Wow, that’s a scarycand daunting list! Thank you for sharing, though.