Chicken found dead in nesting box...

[Panamageo]

I did an autopsy and she had no eggs in the pipeline so why would she sit in a brooding box?
The breast meat was dark like a duck. She was 6# and seemed healthy.

 

[dgh]

I have to say, before the price for Vet necropsy went from $60. to $180. I found that chickens who died this way had a tumor or other internal genetic abnormality. If no other chickens are ill, i would bet on this.

 

[debrah]

This is an old thread, but just wanted to comment we had exactly the same thing happen today as the original poster - apparently perfectly healthy ISA Brown hen found dead in the nesting box during a hot streak - temps in the high 90s. Guessing that's the issue.

RIP Carrot.

 

[Mrs Wick]

I'm sorry for your loss.

One morning I found my favorite naked neck hen dead. She was laying huge eggs.
It wasn't due to egg bound, it wasn't cold, I still don't know what happened.
It was so unexpected that I was sad all day and night, and still think of her.

I had a rooster who died due to heat. He was shy and didn't dare to go in the shady bushes where dominant roosters were. He hid in a sunny coop. I felt accountable for his death. I should have let him locked in a shady shed.

 

[Nitemover]

This is an old post, however, I feel it's important to put another option out there...with the weepy eyes and slightly protruding vent...to me it sounds like a snake got to her...I've had it happen and actually was able to resuscitate one hen that was completely limp..the snake was still coiled around her in an effort to constrict her to death..then eat. Unfortunately, after they've constricted them to death, it's only then that they figure out the hen is to large to devour...so my guess is snake constriction. I'm sorry for your loss. It's always hard to lose one, no matter how.

 

[DLA]

I freeze water in 16 oz pop bottles and burry them in the nest box when it's really hot. They stay cold a long time being insulated in the nesting material and the girls don't get as overheated while they're in there laying.