My hen just died, no reason identifiable.

[drumstick diva]

My friend just lost her beautiful 5 mos. silkie on Thursday. She had her in the house and she heard thrashing and banging around and went to see what was going on. She found her laying spread out with her head twisted under her body. I think maybe she had a stroke or flew into something and broke her neck. I don't want to ask questions now because she is very upset - Peaches was her favorite and looked to be in top health.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I don't think Silkies fly, do they? They do have very long llama-like necks, though, and look kind of fragile. Maybe she got stuck somewhere and broke her neck.

 

[glowgirl]

You know she had stopped laying a few weeks ago and was very fat, even for a hen. Perhaps she was egg bound. She wasn't as active as the other hens normally so I just thought is was her nature to be kind of fat and lazy.

 

[glowgirl]

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She was 7 months old and had recently stopped laying.

 

[aoxa]

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Mine look like they are near breaking their neck when they try to fly to the higher roost and miss..

but no, they don't normally fly. Such clumsy chickens.

Silkies have a vaulted skull and are more prone to brain injury when pecked on the head/ trauma occurs.

 

[aoxa]

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Like how lazy?

My hens stopped laying this fall too. Shorter days & colder nights.. I do add light until 9:30. They get 14 1/2 hours of light right now. I'm not sure the light bulb is working properly, because it doesn't keep them laying. I just have it there so they can see enough to get settled. Will shorten it once it gets even colder.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

I'm terribly sorry about your hen. I've had a lot of chickens die on me like that and it stinks..they are there one minute and gone the next. It especially is hard when you don't know what got her. I wish you and your flock well!

 

[Wild Prime]

I am very sry about ur hen

I just lost one of mine Saturday night to a broken hip

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

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Have you had it happen again? All of my others seem totally fine. All large and well fed. The one that passed today has never gained weight like he should. He also had very slow growth of his feathers. There was a spot on his crest that had been missing for a month and the feathers didn't even start to grow

Hopefully it was genetic... Nothing contagious.. I would not be able to handle another death.

Very sorry for everyone here as well. It's so hard to lose a pet. They are not just chickens to most of us. They are loved and cared for.. Maybe not for everyone, but they are for me..

She was the only one that died. That was about a year ago, and the others have all been fine.

 

[[email protected]]

One of my 8 Aconas died this morning. Yesterday she was off by herself under the tree. Was not eating, very docile which is unusual. I brought her inside garage, warm bed and food and she just died. My first pet death in a long time. I have read some other sudden death post, no injuries or anything unusual and reading things like cocci, treating with tylan, died of egg yolk stroke? Cant add anything except I have empathy for you.