A hen Died, i don't know what of?

[ChickenyChickeny]

Today one of my hens died, her name was Buffy. She was pretty big; she was a Buff Orpington, so maybe it was a heart attack? I am very sad (very time 10000), and don't want any of the other chickens to die. I only have three chickens, well two chickens now, they are pets and I love them very much so I don't want the other ones to die! So: maybe it was a heart attack? Buffy had bad circulation I think, over her life (she only lived a year and a few months :'( she should have lived longer) some days she would be randomly pale. Also, over the past couple of months, I think she lost a bit of weight? She looked smaller, but I picked her up and the weight change wasn't too drastic. I mean, I could feel that bone that chickens have along the middle of their chest (their rib-cage-joining-bone), but I think thats normal when you are holding a chicken to be able to feel that. So she lost a little bit of weight. Also, she had vent gleet which I was in the process of treating (putting anti-bacterial cream around her vent), and it seemed like she was getting better, and she had way WAY less redness and irritation around her bum, but do chickens die of vent gleet? Or was it something else?! Lastly, it was very hot today, 27° at the hottest (not 27° all day, just at the hottest point), but the chickens had water. Oh, I mean 27° Celsius, not Fahrenheit. I think she was eating grass when she died, when I found her she had a bit of grass at the edge of her mouth. Also, when I found her, her neck was sort of extended and her neck feathers were puffed up. But just the neck feathers, no other feathers. I feel horrible about this and I feel like I should have stayed home (I was out of the house for most of the day) and I wonder if I could have done something. I can't take her for a necropsy; she is already buried. Anyways, does anyone know what she may have died of based on the information I have given? Please tell me if you know.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sorry for your loss, never easy & not knowing even harder
If you could feel that center bone, she was under weight. Was she only free ranging? Any commercial feed? I don't think she could have passed with Vent Gleet, she could have had other problems, without a necropsy all we can do is speculate.

 

[ChickenyChickeny]

She was free ranging, but also had commercially-bought feed available all day. !!! I didn't know that if you can feel the centre bone they are underweight! One of my other hens is under weight then, how can I get their weight back up???

 

[ChickenyChickeny]

Maybe worms are causing low weight? Should I deworm them? If so, what should I deworm them with?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Didn't mean to scare you about feeling the keel bone, posted a "chart"
You can take fecal samples to a Vet to have a test to check for worms. What kind of feed are you feeding? Layer has only 16% protein, I feed Flock Raiser (20% protein) & Oyster Shell in a separate dish .

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings ChickenyChickeny,

I had a hen that had similar symptoms. She would go pale, especially after eating, and it was worse during hot weather. This went on for a year. The vet couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

I finally found out what was wrong with her after she died. A necropsy by UC Davis Lab, showed she had cancer. Her oviduct was replaced by tumors, which had spread to the vital organs.

The way you found the body, is typical of death spasms. The chicken will stretch their neck trying to get a breath. You are right, she probably was eating grass when her heart gave out.

I know exactly how you feel. It is so shocking and heartbreaking to find a beloved chicken dead. This is how I found my rooster 2 years ago. He simply dropped dead after recovering from congested lungs. I had just checked on him two hours earlier. Even the vet was shocked that he died. He appeared so healthy.

So, go ahead and grieve, but don't feel it was anything you did or didn't do. You loved your chickens, and I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you. All my hen's have died in my arms. The death of a beloved chicken, is something all keepers will experience at some point. We are here for you, at BYC.

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I'm so sorry for your loss.
God Bless

 

[ChickenyChickeny]

Greetings ChickenyChickeny,

I had a hen that had similar symptoms. She would go pale, especially after eating, and it was worse during hot weather. This went on for a year. The vet couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

I finally found out what was wrong with her after she died. A necropsy by UC Davis Lab, showed she had cancer. Her oviduct was replaced by tumors, which had spread to the vital organs.

The way you found the body, is typical of death spasms. The chicken will stretch their neck trying to get a breath. You are right, she probably was eating grass when her heart gave out.

I know exactly how you feel. It is so shocking and heartbreaking to find a beloved chicken dead. This is how I found my rooster 2 years ago. He simply dropped dead after recovering from congested lungs. I had just checked on him two hours earlier. Even the vet was shocked that he died. He appeared so healthy.

So, go ahead and grieve, but don't feel it was anything you did or didn't do. You loved your chickens, and I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you. All my hen's have died in my arms. The death of a beloved chicken, is something all keepers will experience at some point. We are here for you, at BYC.

God Bless and peace to you.

thank you for the info.
If the chicken's oviduct was replaced by tumors, wouldn't she have stopped laying though? My hen continued laying regularly...
I feel terrible because I wasn't there when she died. In the morning she went out of the coop and was lively, and I wasn't at home and when I came home she was dead.
Thanks for comfort.

 

[ChickNanny13]