how long do chickens live? Is it a sudden death?

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Alley

Alley

Songster
13 Years
Oct 23, 2008
158
91
241
Eureka, California
I found my Diva dead in her nesting box today. She was running around eating bugs and acting her usual self yesterday. How long do chickens live and do they usually pass suddenly? I feel so bad... She was 5 years old, is that old for a chicken?

RIP Diva
 
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It's hard when you lose a beloved chicken suddenly :(
Chickens can live as long as 15-20 years but on average, they live about 8 years. That said, that is just an average. I have had 1-2 year olds seem perfectly healthy one day and just dead the next day. We just don't know why. Could have choked? Possibly egg-bound. It happens. Don't feel too bad. 5 years, I think is a pretty good life-span.
Take care
 
I do think she was egg bound... she had prolapsed a year ago and I pushed it back in and she never laid an egg again.
I just hope she didn't suffer. Thank you for answering my questions, she was my first chicken and my first loss...
 
5 years is quite a long life for a hatchery hen. Good breeder quality hens may live longer. Seems bantams may live longer than the really large birds, too. My hatchery hens who lived that long all died from ovarian cancer.

Ones who died earlier died from internal laying and/or egg yolk peritonitis, both of which are very, very common causes of death. Only one hen died of unknown causes and one died from a suspected accident. With all other hens, I knew what was wrong with them.


From what you just said, she was not egg bound. Egg bound hens don't live very long at all without intervention to remove the stuck egg in the oviduct, not more than a few days, usually, and you see symptoms of them not feeling well. She was laying internally or had egg yolk peritonitis or both-they can lay internally for many months. You couldn't have done anything for her, unfortunately.

These threads may be helpful to you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=362422

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=195347

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...lks-update-rip-beautiful-reba/50#post_8068877

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ences-on-egg-reproduction-production-necropsy
 
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Sorry for your loss... but I had to say that the worms and bugs that she loved now will eat her.... lol
 

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