Buff Orpingtons and heart attacks? Lone sister help too? Long post.

[M n M no nuts]

Hi
This is the first time I am posting something although I have read lots. I too am having this issue just today. I had 2 Orpington and one just died yesterday and her sister today. Neither had any outwardly apparent reason, no bugs, blood, injury or egg bound that I could tell. They were both fed a healthy diet of pellets, fodder, and vegetables so not over weight either. Do not know why this has happened but sudden death heart attack is the only thing I have been able to explain what has happened to my 2 golden girls. If anyone has any other possible explanation please let me know so I can try to prevent this from happening.
Thank you
Sad in NC

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens often times are not real long lived animals. I have had this happen to me over the years, birds are just fine, and suddenly just dead. So quick, you can hardly believe they are dead. You can go months, or years, or just a month. It is just disconcerting because it is so quick.

Now obviously, if several birds in your flock start getting sick, or acting sick, well then you have a problem. But a sudden death in an ordinary active flock is rotten luck, but not much to worry about, it happens.

I would try and get 1 or 2 birds, ASAP. Check on this site for integration, but really one on one, is not a real problem. I have had good luck with locking up the original bird, in a dog crate, and letting the new bird explore the coop/run without being chased or harassed, and then putting them together as close to dark as possible. A LOT DEPENDS on your coop and set up.

Mrs K

 

[Allthefloofs]

So sorry for your loss! We had two BOs and lost both of them before they were 9 months old, one died at 7 months, one at 8. The second one we were able to have necropsied and she died of a liver hemorrhage. I was told by the vet that some heavy bodied birds are more likely to die from hemorrhagic liver syndrome. I was then told that some lines of BO in the US have a tendency toward it genetically. Ours died on my lap and it was really sad, she was my favorite chicken. After that we decided we probably wouldn't buy any more from hatcheries, it's just too heartbreaking to lose them before one year old.

 

[Vannah]

So sorry for your loss! We had two BOs and lost both of them before they were 9 months old, one died at 7 months, one at 8. The second one we were able to have necropsied and she died of a liver hemorrhage. I was told by the vet that some heavy bodied birds are more likely to die from hemorrhagic liver syndrome. I was then told that some lines of BO in the US have a tendency toward it genetically. Ours died on my lap and it was really sad, she was my favorite chicken. After that we decided we probably wouldn't buy any more from hatcheries, it's just too heartbreaking to lose them before one year old.

I just lost my 2 yr old BO, Tansy today. She and her sister, Lemon are my favorite girls. This is my first loss. She died suddenly, no signs of illness, a secure coop & run, no injuries, I don’t understand what happened. I’m heart broken. I’m so sorry for the loss of yours as well. I’m with you on that…I can’t take the heartbreak again.

 

[Allthefloofs]

I just lost my 2 yr old BO, Tansy today. She and her sister, Lemon are my favorite girls. This is my first loss. She died suddenly, no signs of illness, a secure coop & run, no injuries, I don’t understand what happened. I’m heart broken. I’m so sorry for the loss of yours as well. I’m with you on that…I can’t take the heartbreak again.

To date we have had 4 Orpingtons of either the Buff or Lavender variety, all hatchery girls and only one is alive and has made it past the 3 year point. Every other one has died before 1 or 2 years. Our last standing BO should have died last year, she has a problem with her reproductive system and constantly has Egg Yolk Peritonitis. Every 4-6 months we have her drained and have birth control placed just to keep her alive. I think the are just genetically not sound. I'm so sorry about your sweet Tansy. I think there are some losses that just hurt more. When they are our favorites or our firsts it's just unbelievable how painful it can be.

 

[omalmals]

I had 6 Buff Orpingtons and one minute Saphire was acting totally normal, I looked out the window and she was dead. Total shock. I wracked my brain to look for a reason and there was nothing I could think of. Then I remembered I have a camera on the yard and there was footage! Apparently what happened is one of the other Orps (Angel) just ran from across the yard and made her submit, one light peck. Saphire got up, and started to walk away as if everything was normal (this only happened once before I know of), but this time stumbled and fell to the ground and appeared to be seizuring. All the other birds came running and were just watching her. She tried to get up once, but fell down again and died. When Angel went to peck her body one of the other birds (a Wyandotte) stopped her. I had feared she was poisoned, still not sure if that's the case but she was doing nothing unusual before this happened. She was scratching and pecking in the yard like she always did and was healthy. So I'm glad I had the camera because now I know she wasn't attacked in any way.

 

[Mrs. K]

Sounds like a heart attack to me. Nothing you could have or should have done. It is so startling, they are so alive and perfectly fine one moment, that you can hardly believe they are dead the next. I am personally getting to the age, where this does not sound like a bad idea.

Mrs K