10 month old healthy hen just died, no idea why

[Trishkabob]

I'm both sad and worried. Without warning, our SLW, who wasn't yet a year old died tonight. It is hot here-high 80s today-but she was fine this morning, laid an egg, seemed to be normal. When it's hot, they (we have 6) they go under our screened in porch where it's cool and they dust bathe, or come onto the front porch (where there is water). Her egg looks just fine and the others seem unbothered by the heat. In addition to feeling awful (and having just buried her) we wonder if she could have had something-illness-that the others could pick up.
My husband saw her about 45 min. before she died and she was panting a bit but was in the raspberry patch/garden where she had some shade and he thought she was doing what they do when it's hot (but she was solo; not unheard of and the others weren't that far away but, in retrospect, he wondered about it). When he checked on her again about 45 min. later she had died and her head/neck were hot and he took her to the water bowl hoping he might revive her but she was gone. So we're sitting here wondering Did she have a fever? Did she die of heatstroke even though the others (we even have a 7 yr. old) are ok? (and she had water nearby)? Should we be worried that if she was sick she might have passed it on to them? There was no injury/blood or other clue other than when he put her beak in the water he saw something that might have been vomit (?)-just a bit of what he said was something vaguely tan ("oatmeal colored") on her beak. Not much and not bloody or indicative of anything. He went back to where she died and found nothing helpful.
I know we are just feeling rotten and sad and often we don't find out why an animal dies. We will watch the other 5 carefully for signs of anything amiss tomorrow (will be hot again) but if anyone has thoughts or advice we would love to hear your wisdom. I hate this. They are our pets. Thanks.

 

[rebrascora]

So sorry to hear you lost a girl, especially a relatively young one. Unfortunately from your description there is nothing specific that springs to mind and no way of finding out now that you have buried her. It is possible to have a necropsy done if you lose another one (let's hope not!) but the body must be refrigerated as soon after death as possible and then sent off to the appropriate lab depending on your location.
Hopefully this is just a one off and the rest of the flock will be fine.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Trishkabob]

thanks, Barbara. We thought about putting her in the freezer and now I wish we had. As I was reading and hoping for a reply I noticed another posting about a sudden death, also of a SLW, and one of the responders commented that they were reading alot of these kinds of things regarding this breed and suggested a genetic issue. She was small and kind of less dramatic than others we've had of this type, very skittish. who knows?
I guess all we can do is watch the others carefully and hope they are ok. Sometimes I wish I weren't so attached to them...but I am. thanks again.

 

[rebrascora]

You don't realise how attached you can become to chickens until you get them and they creep into your heart. Most of us who have had chickens for any length of time know the sadness of losing them, but it has to be balanced against the joy of keeping them and that wins hands down!
As regards chilling the bird after death for medical exam, freezing destroys some of the tissue, making a cause of death less certain. The fridge is the recommended way to keep them until you can send them off for a necropsy.

 

[Eleanor C]

This happened to one of my chickens a year ago she was fine when I looked at her half an hour before she died she was dust bathing in my run. She had no injuries or anything it was in the 80s that day but she didn't seem hot or anything. I had thought she just broke her neck or something but I couldn't feel anything and when I think of it, she was an SLW.

 

[Eleanor C]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Trishkabob]

thanks Eleanor. Weird about the SLW coincidence since I read another post with same description and it, too, was an SLW (and another person noted that they thought they heard about this kind of things with SLWs in particular).
And thanks, too, Barbara. I didn't know that about the freezer (I hope I won't need to again soon) and it's true that Inhad no idea I'd fall for chickens until we got them. They are sweet, hilarious, charming, individual, gentle souls. I will miss this one.