My pet chicken just died suddenly of unknown causes....??

[Wild--Star]

Hi, one of my pet hens, a Pekin, just died suddenly. She seemed rather fine yesterday but when i went out to let them out this morning she was dead and stiff, though i think she had only just died as my younger brother went out to check them before me and he said that she wasnt moving when he patted her and that her eyes were slitted. So i went out to see and i found her dead, i couldnt even see her eyes as she had her head curled around her body. I don't know what happened? They are our beloved pets so i am really upset

After reading up i think she may have been egg bound. She had never laid before but her sister just laid the day before and yesterday this chicken kept going back and forth to her nesting area and my brother said it looked like her bottom was going up and down in her nesting box as if she was trying to lay.
I did suspect at least one of my hens (her sister) had MG though we hadnt treated her yet but i hadnt seen any signs from this hen who just died and i dont think they can die from that anyway....
Could this affect my whole flock of 4 now...?

Any information would be much appreciated, thanks.

This is devastating we are really attached to our chickens and her sister and her were just insuperable, so i hope her sister wont fret. I havnt seen any signs of stress from her, she seems to be sticking with our Silkies, which is good.

 

[Razadia]

I completely read that wrong and I just now realized it. I'm sorry you lost her.

 

[henhouse105]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Teila]

Howdy Wild—Star

I am so sorry to read of your loss

I have Pekin's and like you, they are my babies and very loved.

By Pekin and the mention of chicken, you have a Pekin, as in bantam Cochin like? Apologies if I am on the wrong track and it was a duck.

I have not experienced MG but I believe it is a slow onset and as you mentioned, she should probably have shown some signs.

Being new to laying, the frequent trips to the nest box could just have been her getting ready for laying and if she was egg bound I think you should probably have seen further symptoms; wings drooping, lethargy, possible diarrhoea, general unwellness.

Do you free range? Is it possible she could have eaten something she should not have the day before?

Could she have been bitten by something?

Any chance she could have eaten something with some mould on it?

I had a similar experience with a Silkie who was just shy of 5 months old; her and her sister went to bed the night before, no signs of illness whatsoever. The next morning she was in the nest box, could not lift her head and passed within a hour or two.

I still do not know what happened to her and wonder if she ate something or was bitten by something but then chickens can also just experience sudden death.

I would keep a very close eye on the rest of the flock and again, I am sorry for your loss.

 

[Wild--Star]

Yeah sorry I meant Pekin bantam like yours.
And i do free range and put them to bed at night but we are watching them most of the time, she looked okay except for the frequent trips to the nesting box but i dont know..... It is possible she was bitten by something although when we picked up her body ready to bury, we examined it and it was wet with a bit of blood around her bottom, what do you think that would be caused by? There have been a lot of flies around lately so the disgusting maggots could have gotten to her, though the thought gives my shivers, that could have been why there was blood i suppose or it could have been because she was egg bound but she didnt seem to have any symptoms like you desccribed as far as i know.
Sorry about your Silkies it is very hard not knowing, i am worried about the rest of my flock, i have Silkies aswell as Pekins, well just one Pekin now...
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Wild--Star]

Thanks all for the kind words x

 

[lilypad]

I'm really sorry to hear about your little girl

I've had a few egg bound chickens and in my experience they always show obvious signs - first day will be sitting in the nest box most of the day, the next day they will often be puffed up, droopy wings, looking tired and "pushing" to lay a lot. I've luckily never had a chicken die from being egg bound, but they can look poorly for a few days until the egg passes.

Going in and out of the nest box is common for birds coming into lay.

If there was blood in her vent it's possible an egg may have broken inside of her, but I still wouldn't of expected her to pass away so quickly from that. And I would of thought if it were maggots some would be present around the vent.

I think in this situation you will just have to keep a close eye on your other girls - sadly it's not uncommon for a chicken to suddenly pass away. Best wishes, hope the rest of your flock stays happy and healthy

 

[Wild--Star]

Thank you, i hope so too. I will keep a very close eye on them and hope they will all be ok. Maybe she wasn't egg bound then. It sucks not knowing though but i guess i may never know...
That's all good to know though so if anything happens in future i will know the signs and what to look for.
Thanks again xx

 

[mansor]

Help me guyd

 

[mansor]

Help me guyd