Dead chicken...2 eggs?

[jbrown_14105]

Folks,
I came home today after work (about 4:00pm) and went to hen house to check on my "girls" and found one of them dead in the nesting box they all use! (Last night all were fine when I went to check)
There were 2 eggs beside her, and when I picked her up there was a full solid egg with alot of blood around it, and also what looked like was another egg in her vent! The egg that was underneath the dead hen was still slightly warm, but she was dead and rigor had set in.
The other hens were outside pecking around in the snow & grass that was exposed from the "warm" day of 24 degrees.
The other hens didn't even seem to notice!
Well the four that are left are now back in the coop.
Any ideas?
Jim Brown
Lockport NY

 

[Lesa]

How old was she, Jim? I am going to guess the eggs were laid by someone else and the one in her vent, is what caused her demise. So difficult to tell. Sorry you had to come home to that... I've had it happen, everyone looks fine and a few hours later a dead chicken in the coop. Glad your other girls are okay.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Sometimes, egg laying troubles will take them out so suddenly, and there simply isn't anything you could have done. I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[jbrown_14105]

Quote:
Lesa,
All of my hens are 10 months old, I got them as young chicks. They are R.I.Reds as best as I can tell.
All were raised the same, no "outsiders". I originally had 6, one tried to get out and "as best as I can tell....flapped herself to death" being caught up in the chicken fencing around & on top of the run.
Since that the 5 have been free ranging during the day and with the exception of one night/dusk they always go to roost at near dusk all together. She went out back to the pet cemetery on the property.
The others seem to give no notice even that she was dead in the nesting box.

Oh well the ones that make it through the winter will be stronger for next Spring, hopefully it will be the four I got left.
Jim Brown
Lockport NY