Chicken lethargic several hours; died suddenly

[4yearsofchickens]

Help! I went out to my coop this morning and and found one of my March-hatched (ordered from tractor supply) chickens all fluffed up and laying down on the floor of the coop. I thought maybe she was cold since it dipped to freezing last night so I set her out in the sun. She just lay there with her eyes closed (she could't walk very well, I had to help her and then she was stumbly). She was breathing normally and had no pus or anything in her nose or eyes. I did some research and thought maybe she was egg-bound even though I couldn't feel anything. I even attempted to lubricate her vent but still didn't feel anything, although clear liquid poured out (maybe a tablespoon?) when I did so. I took her in the house to moniter her, and a few hours later had her sitting in a salt bath when she started panting, and in a few minutes she went into a sort of seizure where her head jerked and she croaked really loud, and then clear liquid poured out of her mouth and eyes...and she was dead. We have buried her. So my question is, has this ever hapened to anyone else? What was it? And will the rest of my flock get it? They all seem fine right now, and they are still laying.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

Help! I went out to my coop this morning and and found one of my March-hatched (ordered from tractor supply) chickens all fluffed up and laying down on the floor of the coop. I thought maybe she was cold since it dipped to freezing last night so I set her out in the sun. She just lay there with her eyes closed (she could't walk very well, I had to help her and then she was stumbly). She was breathing normally and had no pus or anything in her nose or eyes. I did some research and thought maybe she was egg-bound even though I couldn't feel anything. I even attempted to lubricate her vent but still didn't feel anything, although clear liquid poured out (maybe a tablespoon?) when I did so. I took her in the house to moniter her, and a few hours later had her sitting in a salt bath when she started panting, and in a few minutes she went into a sort of seizure where her head jerked and she croaked really loud, and then clear liquid poured out of her mouth and eyes...and she was dead. We have buried her. So my question is, has this ever hapened to anyone else? What was it? And will the rest of my flock get it? They all seem fine right now, and they are still laying.

oh this whole time she didn't eat or drink except what I gave her with an eyedropper. I feed her premixed food from the local feed mill with oyster shell, and I put rooster booster (vitamins and electrolytes) in their water. The only scraps they have is fruit and vegetable and they haven't had any recently.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

and then clear liquid poured out of her mouth and eyes...and she was dead. We have buried her. So my question is, has this ever hapened to anyone else? What was it? And will the rest of my flock get it? They all seem fine right now, and they are still laying.

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

I'm very sorry for your loss and your experience, it sounds like you did all you could do for her.

So my top suspects are.. possible crop issue.. or other blockage. You say there was no egg felt.. Did you happen to see any droppings from her? Had she started laying already and if so when was her last egg?

What breed and was she vaccinated against Marek's? What is the feeds nutritional values.. protein, calcium? How many other birds, in how much space, recent weather pattern? Any new additions, recent changes? Do they free range where she might have gotten into something toxic either plant related, or oil/cleaner spill? What kind of water dish and are the vitamins and electrolytes in there full time?

Consider adding your general location to your profile as it may help folks make their most relevant suggestions possible at a glance.

Do you still have the body? You can refrigerate while making contact with your state poultry lab and send it it to get answers, often free or affordable to back yard keepers as a means of protecting our national food supply chain. Links to help with that since I know TSC is in the US.. It cost $25 for 2 birds in California... They can Or should be able to tell you if it was Marek's, coccidiosis, Leukosis, or other condition..
State poultry labs

People don't realize that fruit and vegetable are generally good enrichment but not of much nutritional value. Chickens like meat including bugs.. they are omnivores and REQUIRE some animal derived amino acids.. our mostly "vegetarian" formulas we feed have these added in synthetically.. and so a vegetarian chicken would have never seen the ground or light of day because they explore the world around by tasting it sometimes. I think this vegetarian feed thing is in response to mad cow disease and folks don't wan't chicken eating chicken.. which they are crazy for.

I see that you have buried her already.. whether or not the rest of your birds will face it will depend on what it was. If it was something contagious then they've already been exposed.

I still think you might benefit from some Q & A.. for example.. if they are getting vitamins/electrolytes in their water full time.. depending on what they are.. it could very well be overdosed, though I'm under the impression water soluble vitamins cannot that may not pertain to mineral aka electrolytes.. I am NOT an expert.. the info I have say NO supplement should be given more than 10 days in a row unless under veterinary advice.

Hope the rest continue to thrive!

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. Sudden death will occasionally occur in chickens near the 5-6 month period, near the point of laying, or in roosters, maturity. Heart problems, other organ failure, or a reproductive infection might have been the problem.But to know for sure, most state vets will perform a necropsy on a body that has been kept cold, but not frozen. Otherwise the cause could have been anything.

 

[4yearsofchickens]

Hi there and welcome to BYC!

I'm very sorry for your loss and your experience, it sounds like you did all you could do for her.

So my top suspects are.. possible crop issue.. or other blockage. You say there was no egg felt.. Did you happen to see any droppings from her? Had she started laying already and if so when was her last egg?

What breed and was she vaccinated against Marek's? What is the feeds nutritional values.. protein, calcium? How many other birds, in how much space, recent weather pattern? Any new additions, recent changes? Do they free range where she might have gotten into something toxic either plant related, or oil/cleaner spill? What kind of water dish and are the vitamins and electrolytes in there full time?

Consider adding your general location to your profile as it may help folks make their most relevant suggestions possible at a glance.

Do you still have the body? You can refrigerate while making contact with your state poultry lab and send it it to get answers, often free or affordable to back yard keepers as a means of protecting our national food supply chain. Links to help with that since I know TSC is in the US.. It cost $25 for 2 birds in California... They can Or should be able to tell you if it was Marek's, coccidiosis, Leukosis, or other condition..
State poultry labs

People don't realize that fruit and vegetable are generally good enrichment but not of much nutritional value. Chickens like meat including bugs.. they are omnivores and REQUIRE some animal derived amino acids.. our mostly "vegetarian" formulas we feed have these added in synthetically.. and so a vegetarian chicken would have never seen the ground or light of day because they explore the world around by tasting it sometimes. I think this vegetarian feed thing is in response to mad cow disease and folks don't wan't chicken eating chicken.. which they are crazy for.

I see that you have buried her already.. whether or not the rest of your birds will face it will depend on what it was. If it was something contagious then they've already been exposed.

I still think you might benefit from some Q & A.. for example.. if they are getting vitamins/electrolytes in their water full time.. depending on what they are.. it could very well be overdosed, though I'm under the impression water soluble vitamins cannot that may not pertain to mineral aka electrolytes.. I am NOT an expert.. the info I have say NO supplement should be given more than 10 days in a row unless under veterinary advice.

Hope the rest continue to thrive!

(I live in the northeastern US) I did check her crop when I first found her, it was mainly empty feeling, but still soft like a normal crop. She was not pooping any except once but it was that same clear liquid with a tiny bit of white in it. I think she was a Rhode Island Red. I don't know if she was vaccinated or not, I would assume since she was from a hatchery she was...She is not free range but has full access to the out-of-doors in a fenced run. They have a waterer bucket w/nipples and I always have the rooster booster in it. Nutrition values of the feed: crude protien, min-16%; lysine, min-0.7%; methionine, min 0,3%; crude fat, min 2.5%; crude fiber, max-5%; calcium 3-4.5%; phosphorus, min-0.4%; salt, min-0.2%. I don't know if she was laying yet, I have(had) 12 chickens and usually got 8-9 eggs a day.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don't know if she was vaccinated or not, I would assume since she was from a hatchery she was...She is not free range but has full access to the out-of-doors in a fenced run. They have a waterer bucket w/nipples and I always have the rooster booster in it

If you didn't order them vaccinated and pay extra for then she was not. Marek's is considered to be in every poultry environment.. though this is not how I'm used to seeing it present, I think it can so for informational purposes..
Marek's Virus FAQ

First things first.. PLEASE remove that supplement from your water and offer fresh clean h2o. This is being made a strong recommendation with ALL that I know! Offer your supplement on occasion if you NEED to like for fresh shipped chicks or if someone is under the weather. Formulated feed and fresh water along with a little grit of sorts is sufficient and can go along way towards your desired outcome of good health.

If you are using city water that is chlorinated.. the bucket should let it dissipate quickly. Chloro-mine and bromine will not. Sorry, I forgot about it until now! My chickens used to prefer my pool water over the city water. Now we are fortunate enough to have a good well.

Potassium (off the top of my head) is an easy thing to get out of whack that impact many thing in the body including respiratory action.. as well as calcium.. beware of supplementing anything long term.. Plus there are better supplements out there depending on what your purpose is.


Using nipple waterer makes coccidiosis *less* likely.

If you do unfortunately have another one present, consider getting it tested.

Sounds like she could have been laying. Life is so intricate and amazing, it's true it could have even been reproductive or other.. I know you'll be on high alert for a while. Hang in there, that's a good size flock!