2 month pullet died. Any ideas why?

[KayleighW]

I had a two month old pullet die. I noticed Sunday evening she wasn't feeling well, wasn't eating, and her abdomen was swollen with fluid build up. She was lethargic and didn't move around much. She did drink plenty of water. In fact she would lay right beside the water bucket and drink but wouldn't eat anything at all. She died Monday night. Her comb appeared to have a red tint to it. Not a pink red, but like a dark blood red color. I was curious about the fluid in her abdomen, so after she passed I cut open the abdominal cavity and it was full of yellow liquid, mostly watery, but some more thick and mucousy. What happened to my chicken? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Judy]

It could be what is called ascites, which is actually a form of heart failure, as I understand it. This is fairly common in meat birds, or Cornixh Crosses.

 

[KayleighW]

I was wondering about that. I looked around online earlier and that sounded about right. But everything I read was talking about meat birds, so I didn't know if that was common in other breeds as well. Mine was a Rhode Island Red. What causes it and is it something I should worry about with the other chickens? So far everybody else is happy and healthy.