I have been out of town for 5 days. My father in law cared for my flock while i was away and everyone was good. This morning I went to let them out and one of my favorite hens was dead on the coop floor. She was 1.5 yrs old and acting totally normal. She had some feathers missing maybe from the rooster. I had checked her for mites and lice but didn't see any. Do hens just randomly die? I am so upset and heartbroken.
Yes, sometimes they just die. A short while ago one of my RIR was fine in the morning, lethargic by mid day, and dead in the afternoon. The same thing could have happened during a different time frame. Fine in the eve. Sickly at night. and deceased in the morning. My RIR.s twin sister is fine and healthy. ( I see her as sad, since they always stayed together everywhere) No disease that affected any of the other chickens in same coop.
Today I'm a lil heartbroken along with you. Lost one pigeon. He did not return in evening after free flying with the others.