Dead chicken: any thoughts on how to identify?

[merlotmudpies]

My white barred rock (we think) who was healthy and laid just yesterday didnt come down with the other girls this morning. Sometimes she lingers to go in the lay box. When I checked she was still on her roost and fluffed but didn't look sick. Just now my 7 yo went to clean up poops and came back sobbing. She was on the floor of the coop dead, stretched out and stiff. Her eyes look a little watery/gunky now. Her next is stretched out and stiff. I can't see anything else that looks odd but I'm no expert at all. Her vent does look a little red but there was no egg stuck and honestly I don't know what it SHOULD look like.

Any thought?

My poor little guy. He's so upset. I'm going down to completely replace the shavings in the coop jus in case. Will look for weird poop. But yesterday her poop was normal and she was eating out of my hand.

 

[merlotmudpies]

Getting ready to bury her. If there's anything particular to look for I will.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would check her crop to see if it was full or impacted. Look for lice, mites. If she had watery or gunky eyes it could have been a respiratory virus or disease. It can be many different things. The more symptoms you notice the easier it it is to tell what was wrong. In having chickens it is common for one to die now and then, but sorry your 7 year old had to see it. Sorry for your loss.

 

[One Chick Two]

So sorry for your loss!

 

[merlotmudpies]

Guys thanks for your sympathy. I was falling asleep last night and something popped into my head which may explain Snow dying. The day before the hate to our run got left open. The girls got out and were ranging around. We have been seeing a coyote out right by the run this week so wanted to get them in before we had to leave for the day. None of my ladies are super tame yet so we not ally hers them in and they go pretty easily but Snow tried to run through the chain link and hit herself really hard twice before she went into the run. It made me wince when it happened but she seemed okay a little later. I really do think the poor sweetheart must've hurt herself more than I realized. This is a shot in the dark bit it really does seem that may have been the cause. Nothing else makes sense.

 

[merlotmudpies]

I've gotta stop posting from my phone. LOL The gate. Not the hate. Oy.