15 week old pullet died in front of us. Not sure why.

[CESOrtega]

When I went to the coop this a.m. our cochin pullet was not acting herself...just stood still when she usually chirps to greet us. My husband said she had been sneezing before I got there. I picked her up and she was ok, just kind of listness. Then she started coughing and stretching out her neck and some brown liquid came out of her mouth. I felt her crop and it was squishy and had a few seeds in there but mostly empty. My daughter and I decided to bring her in the house and as we were walking inside her coughing got worse and she went rigid and her wings went out. I ran and put her in the bathtub where she continued to spasm and just died. There was nothing I could do but helplessly watch. My daughter was a mess, this was her favorite chicken.

Does anyone have any ideas what might have happened? Ever since we got this chicken she has had one problem after the other it seems. She has always been smaller than the others we got at the same time (other breeds, though). One thing I have always noticed is that she had a rasp when she breathed that was very noticeable. I'm thinking it was something respiratory that killed her. Her eyes were clear, no runny nose.

My surprise is that it happened so fast. She had been staying in the house overnights while my husband builds a new coop. She has been fine, perky and singing, eating tons and pooping. Last night we let her sleep in the coop and then this happened.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Cetawin]

I am so sorry for your loss. I hope someone can explain the brown liquid....but chickens hide illness well and usually they are very very sick by the time we "see" it. So, do not worry because you did not notice her ill.

Could she have gotten into something in the house....a chemical or anything like that?

I am sure one of the more experienced will pop in here soon.

 

[CESOrtega]

In the house she stays in a 50 gallon tote so she couldn't really get to anything other than her food. She had been house-bound for two weeks due to an injured leg and had only recently been moved back to the outside.

Thanks for your sympathy. Poor little girl.