Can stress kill chickens

[Eggsakly]

If any of you like reading about necropsies, check out these:
http://www.cahfs.ucdavis.edu/news_disease_info/cahfs_connection/index.cfm

That is a great link! Thank you.

 

[Eggsakly]

I can believe a bird being so frightened that it drops dead, or goes into shock. But 4? No.

agreed. totally. on the other hand, odors attract predators in the dark, even without the birds moving. I would not be surprised by a dog returning to try and get into a coop - mine has! But if the dog was outside the coop barking, something else is in the coop, or going on in the coop. Predators are silent going after prey, even dogs. They don't bark.

 

[andreanar]

agreed. totally. on the other hand, odors attract predators in the dark, even without the birds moving. I would not be surprised by a dog returning to try and get into a coop - mine has! But if the dog was outside the coop barking, something else is in the coop.

Exactly. My dog would go sniffing around the coop in the night, but wouldn't be barking unless something was around.

 

[Eggsakly]

eggsakly on the dog sniffing but no noise.

 

[bobbi-j]

I can believe a bird being so frightened that it drops dead, or goes into shock. But 4? No.

I don't think so either, but panicked birds flying into a fence is a possibility, as is a predator like a weasel. Weasel gets into coop, kills chickens, creates a ruckus, dog barks. Or, weasel (or other critter) gets into coop, creates a ruckus, chickens fly into fence and die.

ETA - again, if OP had come outside and found a bunch of dead chickens without the barking dog the night before, I'd be more suspicious of possible disease outbreak. Especially if it were to happen again.

 

[centrarchid]

What has come of this after two days? Predator inclined to returned would have done so by now. Dog's actions could have prevented that.