Chicken Found Face Down, Dead.

[kosborn1]

We went out this evening to close up the coop for the night and found one of our 10 month old Plymouth hens face down, dead. I was out interacting with and playing with the chickens around 3pm so this happened within the last 7 hours. All chickens have been acting normally.
I checked for the following:
-puncture wounds
-bite marks
-pecking
-worms
-an egg being stuck

We are so sad and worried that she was sick and that maybe our other chickens are too. Has anyone had a similar experience?

 

[ChickNanny13]

You may want to refrigerate the body for necropsy to learn what caused it's passing. Sorry for your loss

 

[Eggcessive]

Refrigerate her body, and contact your state vet in the morning to get a necropsy (or find out details for a backyard chicken, where cost should be lower.) Sorry for your loss, but it could have been any number of things that went wrong, possibly a heart attack, fatty liver disease, and others. Here is a contact link for your state vet:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

 

[kosborn1]

You may want to refrigerate the body for necropsy to learn what caused it's passing. Sorry for your loss

Thank you. Chicken is in the fridge now

 

[kosborn1]

Refrigerate her body, and contact your state vet in the morning to get a necropsy (or find out details for a backyard chicken, where cost should be lower.) Sorry for your loss, but it could have been any number of things that went wrong, possibly a heart attack, fatty liver disease, and others. Here is a contact link for your state vet:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

Thank you for the link and the info. Chicken is in the fridge and I will call first thing in the AM to see about getting a necropsy.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry for your loss. Glad you are getting a necropsy done. Please keep us posted.

 

[kosborn1]

Anyone know how to interpret these results?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like gout which affects the kidneys. Here is some information on gout:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gout

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/3509/gout-management-in-poultry/

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Well it died of renal failure seeimingly caused by viceral gout. Here is a good article on it

https://www.poultryworld.net/Breede...-damage-is-emerging-in-laying-hens-WP008719W/

 

[kosborn1]

Well it died of renal failure seeimingly caused by viceral gout. Here is a good article on it

https://www.poultryworld.net/Breede...-damage-is-emerging-in-laying-hens-WP008719W/

Will read this, thanks! How can I prevent this in the rest of my flock? Any thoughts?