Chicken died this morning --Why?

[NinjaChicken]

Hello all,
Our beloved and goofy one year old Polish, Susan, died this morning. I found her on her belly with her beak a bit under a piece of wood support in the coop. She was still warm. Thought maybe she might have got her head stuck under there but there was plenty of room for her get out and she never pecks under that spot so think she just fell and landed in that position.

As far as I could tell she was fine yesterday. Any thoughts on why our little girl might have died suddenly??

Could she have broken her neck?

Thanks for any help!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sorry about your chicken. No idea why she could have died, but, when chickens go, they go fast.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

Sometimes you just don't know why a chicken will go at least she went fast and it wasn't a long death, which is the worst kind to experience to see your chicken deteriorate over time.

 

[NinjaChicken]

Thanks for the notes. I forgot to add why I am concerned -- A neighbor cat was poisoned yesterday so worry that the chickens might be poisoned too. But, since the other chickens appear perky and normal, have pretty much ruled out poisoning. Being new to the chicken rearing, just not sure how to think about this -- and worried that I am doing something wrong.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Sorry for your loss...
Polish, and Silkies, have a vaulted skull which means it has a high dome on the top and sometimes it has a hole without a piece of bone over it. If someone pecks there, it can cause brain damage to your bird. Unless anyone else gets sick, I don't think it would be poison...

 

[NinjaChicken]

Thanks for the information. Gosh, SpottedCrow, you might be right on target there. She was the henpecked one in the bunch sporting a bald skull with a fringe of feathers--looking like the shaved crown of a monk. No amount of anti-pecking goo prevented the head pecking. This went on for her entire life.

So here is another question then, not having seen a dead chicken before...Susan was lying on her stomach, wings close to her body, head on side, with little feet sticking out behind. Is this a common way for a chicken to fall? Wondering if she would have crumpled (instead of laying out so straight) if she had been pecked to death?

(Sorry, everyone, for this sounds like such a cold question...but I just have to know...too much scientist in me and much love for my dear little chicken.)

 

[silkiechicken]

I've had chickens die in many positions, usually with feet under but sometimes with feet to the side.

 

[NinjaChicken]

Thinking that maybe she was pecked on the head while standing on her roost--which might explain her position.
Thanks for the post.