Dead Hen mystery

[kitchenchick]

Hi, I'm more of a lurker on this formum. I lost a young hen/older Pullet this morning. She wasn't laying yet but wasn't far from it. I had brought her in the house a couple of days ago because she wasn't acting right. She was lethargic had a very loose stool that was mustard brown/yellow, poor balance, not eating or drinking. Brought her in and noticed a very pungent odor- it smelled like onion with a chemical overlay. Put her on a low setting heating pad, gave Tylan 50 added electrolites to water and tried to tempt her with all manners of treats. Last night I had to syringe water her because of her declining state. Well, the short story is she didn't make it. Before she pasted the odor got stronger, she (for lack of a better phrase) threw up a black, thin gruel looking liquid. One minute she looked on the mend and the next-BANG! she's gone.
Background- Up until Friday evening she had been normal actions, feeding, watering.
Regularly wormed with valbazan
No respiratory problems known.
Had been a normal weight but fell off quickly.
Vent looked normal

All other chickens are NOT showing any sign of this illness.

The odor wasn't coryz- didnot smell like rotting meat- but man the odor was strong, bad, and lingers! I separted her and changed clothes after handling her. I've bleached my hands and can still smell that funky, sick smell.

Anyone out there that can point me in the right direction about what may have happened to this young hen? Any advice about what it may have possibly happen is greatly appreciated.

 

[LLB66]

Hope you get feedback soon, will subscribe so I can follow.

 

[seminolewind]

My first thought would be poisoning. Could be something bad that she found, moldy food, etc. I don't know why the black vomit, it does not sound right.

 

[kitchenchick]

the black fluid and smell has stumped me. When I say awful smell-I mean a horrible lingering smell. My hens freerange so I can't rule out her getting into something. I'm watching the rest of the flock reeeaallll close to see if this is something I'll have to call the vet into.

 

[AbbyDog]

Could her crop have been impacted? One of my hens who had to have crop surgery had darkish liquid oozing from her beak, as she would continue to drink even though it couldn't go down- and then when we cut her open, it smelled SO BAD that my helper had to leave the room. Really, really bad...and I wasn't wearing gloves. Ick. I'm sorry about your hen.

 

[seminolewind]

Abby, I think you have a good point. I know when my hen had an impacted crop, she pood watery bright green, and if I messaged her crop she like spit up. It didn't smell, tho. But I had another hen who had an impacted gizzard, and something above it really stunk. She died, there's nothing you can do for an impacted gizzard. : (