Dead Chicken

[TransplantedTexan]

I got up this am and one of my 7 months old Pod. Red hens was laying on the floor dead. No damage from other chickens or predator to be found. They all seemed healthy yesterday.
What would cause a 7 mo old hen, who was fine the day before to fall over dead overnight?

 

[DuckLady]

Sometimes they just fall over dead of a heart attack or hit their head from a fall from the roost. If she was seemingly healthy, then that's probably all it was.

You can take her for a necropsy to be sure though.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

At that age eggbound or internal laying is suspect but I agree with having a necropsy done especially if any others die. One in a flock is almost expected as they mature. If you want to do a quick check necropsy yourself there are a few sites on the net that tell you what to look for. You would have to be comfortable gutting her of course but internal laying and eggbound are both easy to spot on exam of the organs.

 

[hencackle]

No advice to add, but I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about your chicken.

 

[Lunachick]

Aaww - poor baby. Sorry to hear that. Let us know what it was if you do the necropsy.