Bummed....found Queen Hen "Dakota" dead up in the nest box

[StephanieD]

I noticed when I came home this afternoon that my Dark Brahma "Dakota" was not in the run. I assumed she was laying, an hour later she was still not out there so I went and checked and found her dead up in the nest box. She was laying on top of two eggs, none which was hers and when she laid down or died she broke one of the eggs. There were ants everywhere on her. I took her out and opened her mouth and noticed some white foamy stuff in her mouth but not down her throat. She looked totally normal otherwise, and I did check her vent area too. She had been coughing for almost two months now, been treated with Tylan and survived a dog attack. I do not know her age either but here's a picture of her.

Any ideas of what could have caused her death?

....................RIP Dakota ......................

 

[chicmom]

Aww, sorry to hear that! Very pretty hen. RIP

 

[Silkie Sue]

i'm sorry for your loss

i don't have any answers for you but i'm sad you lost her

 

[cochinGurl]

butiful bird. RIP

 

[hennyannie]

Sorry for the loss of your pretty girl.

 

[chickengrl]

Really sorry about your hen. She probably had a respiratory illness and antibiotics are not always helpful because it could be viral. Anyway, being sick proabably finally took a toll on her. Keep an eye on the rest of the flock just in case it was contagious.

 

[StephanieD]

If it was a contagious respiratory illness, how long does it take to spread among a flock of birds? Dakota had a cough for about two months.

 

[azhenhouse]

 

[chickengrl]

I am not an expert, just have read an awful lot. I would think that if the other birds haven't got it by now, then perhaps they won't. I don't think any of them would take that long to cause illness. They also may have it, but it might not show itself until they are stressed from something. Some of the more chronic (long term) diseases are like that. I hope you have seen the last of it.