6 week old Polish pullet died suddenly

[Staceyschicks22]

I was cleaning the coop this morning. Turned my back. Heard a commotion. Turned around and saw my 6 week old Polish pullet thrashing on the ground and she passed in maybe 10 seconds. No previous signs of illness in her or any of the rest of the flock. No obvious signs of illness or injury when I examined her. Eyes clear, vent clear, crop feels fine, no blood anywhere, no lice or mites. Eating chick starter with the rest of her crew. She has been eating and drinking and pooping normally. I know without a more formal examination ya'll dont have much to go on, but I was wondering if any of you had suggestions on what could have happened to her. The only thing I can maybe come up with is that she jumped from the run door (approximatley 2 feet high) and landed wrong on the rake nearby and broke her neck???? That's kind of a stretch. I hate not knowing what happened. It literally only took about 10 seconds. Oh and she couldn't have gotten in to any poison that I know of. They have a large coop and run. TIA.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Sometimes it just happens. Something happens inside then and they’re gone in an instant. Heart attack, brain bleed, neck break, internal hemorrhage….I’m sorry for your loss.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Could've been poor genetics, or a bump to the head. Polish chickens have a Vaulted skull, so their brain is covered by a very thin bone layer that can break, & puncture the brain easily if pecked to hard, or bumping into something.

I had a scare with a Vaulted Skulled Silkie I have when she was young. She started thrashing around on the ground like having a seizure. But she survived. No sign of brain damage, acts, & behaves like a regular chicken, no head ticks, or neurological side effects.

I was thinking she was pecked on the head really hard by one of her hatch mates. So, maybe something similar happened to your girl?

 

[azygous]

Highly suspicious death. When this has occurred in my flock, I am at a loss to explain it. One moment a chicken is perfectly healthy and normal. The next, they are dead.

However, after I force myself to investigate thoroughly, the cause of death will reveal itself. But you need to get rid of all biases that cause you to insist that you did nothing to cause the death, and be open minded to all possibilities.

Here are some ways that I've been responsible for sudden deaths of chickens of mine:

1. Petroleum distillates - paint thinner, insecticide, and hydraulic fluid leaked onto the soil. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...em-never-entered-my-mind-as-a-hazard.1174830/ I have lost four chickens to each of these three toxins.

2. Poisonous insects - two springs ago, I lost two nine-week old pullets to buck moth caterpillars. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-have-nearly-killed-two-of-my-chicks.1390680/

 

[Staceyschicks22]

Highly suspicious death. When this has occurred in my flock, I am at a loss to explain it. One moment a chicken is perfectly healthy and normal. The next, they are dead.

However, after I force myself to investigate thoroughly, the cause of death will reveal itself. But you need to get rid of all biases that cause you to insist that you did nothing to cause the death, and be open minded to all possibilities.

Here are some ways that I've been responsible for sudden deaths of chickens of mine:

1. Petroleum distillates - paint thinner, insecticide, and hydraulic fluid leaked onto the soil. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...em-never-entered-my-mind-as-a-hazard.1174830/ I have lost four chickens to each of these three toxins.

2. Poisonous insects - two springs ago, I lost two nine-week old pullets to buck moth caterpillars. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-have-nearly-killed-two-of-my-chicks.1390680/

Thank you for the info. We have had a very heavy season of the Tussock moth caterpillars this year. They do sting. Not sure if they are deadly to chicks.

 

[azygous]

If they sting a human, they are probably deadly to a small chick.

 

[Staceyschicks22]

If they sting a human, they are probably deadly to a small chick.

Oh goodness. They are everywhere!