Chicken chicken suddenly dead with no warning

Birdsong 82

Free Ranging
6 Years
Aug 17, 2017
3,871
7,092
502
Virginia
My husband just called and said when he got home from work one of our 25 week old sienna stars was just laying in the run dead. She was fine the previous night and seemed fine this morning but they were roosting when I fed them And pouring down rain. I put all their food and dry locations and everybody seemed fine. I can’t figure it out. I would think it was the heat if it were the past few weeks The last few weeks and has been in the 90s with close to unbearable humidity. But today everybody was excited because we got a small break from the heat. Only 82°. Still terrible humidity but the weather is 10 times better than it’s been for a while. I can’t figure it out. I would love to figure it out just so we don’t come home to this again. My husband also said there was no signs of any kind of injury and all the other chickens were fine
 
I know. My husband and are so discouraged and of course sad. So many years with few issues but it’s been one thing after another all the sudden. Everyone had a good look over after the incident. One of are older girls had feather loss and small wounds and is now healing well and everyone else was good. She has been fine with everyone free ranging during the day and nothing seemed amiss It’s just weird without any sign it seems. Now I’m scared to go to work tomorrow
 
Is it possible that she got dehydrated in the recent heat and it took its toll? Had she started laying and if so could she have been egg bound? Have you examined the body? Sometimes chickens die of heart attacks suddenly like that. It could also have been an internal problem like a tumour or something.
 
I'm sorry for your loss.

If you really want to know what killed her then you have two options.... send her off for a professional necropsy or open her up yourself and have a look and take lots of photos and post them here. Anything else is just speculation and guessing on our part and not really helpful.
The first option may be expensive but you should get a definitive answer. The second costs you (and perhaps us) nothing more than a little time and may not get a conclusive diagnosis but will often indicate where the problem lay.

How old was the hen? What was her body condition like? Breast bone sharp or reasonably well covered? Does her abdomen feel full/bloated?
Marek's can sometimes cause sudden death due to visceral tumours and Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome can also kill suddenly. These are probably both more common in younger birds than heart attack and tumours or internal haemorrhage should be reasonably easy for a lay person to ID via post mortem exam.
 
My husband disposed of the body prior to me getting home unfortunately. He didn’t think about taking pics because he looked her over and she looked completely normal. No injuries or clues. She wasn’t laying yet but definitely ready.
She was 25 weeks No sharp chest bone She looked full and healthy like the others. Hopefully didn’t dehydrate. 3 large waterers in the run. Never empty
 
My husband just called and said when he got home from work one of our 25 week old sienna stars was just laying in the run dead. She was fine the previous night and seemed fine this morning but they were roosting when I fed them And pouring down rain. I put all their food and dry locations and everybody seemed fine. I can’t figure it out. I would think it was the heat if it were the past few weeks The last few weeks and has been in the 90s with close to unbearable humidity. But today everybody was excited because we got a small break from the heat. Only 82°. Still terrible humidity but the weather is 10 times better than it’s been for a while. I can’t figure it out. I would love to figure it out just so we don’t come home to this again. My husband also said there was no signs of any kind of injury and all the other chickens were fine
I have had them do that from liver rupture. Some of the best egg laying breeds are prone to that. Mine had recently laid an egg.
 
It could be something sudden. Never lost a chicken to anything but a predator so it’s strange especially when they just drop
I’ve seen threads similar and I always think how does a chicken just drop dead?! I’m now thinking good question
 

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