Deceased Chicken : What caused it?

[hawkeyext]

Hello, I have 34 golden comets and yesterday we found one dead. She was just sitting there in the grass, as if nesting or sleeping, her head down and eyes closed.

Any idea what could have caused it and is there anything I can check myself? (We don't have money for a vet.) She was 10 months old.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[chickens really]

She appears thin in the photo...What are you feeding the birds? Nutrition is key in raising birds...Disease could be spreading?

Give more info about the flock as far as feed, housing, bedding you use. Weather you free range or not.?

Cheers!

 

[casportpony]

Hello, I have 34 golden comets and yesterday we found one dead. She was just sitting there in the grass, as if nesting or sleeping, her head down and eyes closed.

Any idea what could have caused it and is there anything I can check myself? (We don't have money for a vet.) She was 10 months old.

Thanks for any advice.

Welcome to BYC, and sorry for your loss.

You could try doing a necropsy:


or you could send her off to a lab for one. Many states offer free or lost cost necropsies, so do look into that. Even those that don't offer free necropsies will sometimes waive the fee if you explain your situation.

Labs:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

State vets:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

-Kathy

 

[hawkeyext]

Hi, we have 34 chickens that are Golden Comets and about 10 months old. We feed them 51 lbs of food each week. We use Blue Seal Organic Life Layer pellets. We also feed them some oyster shells as grit, but not much. They are free ranging in an area that is about 2,000SF. We have a coop in which they are roosting in, and the boxes have pine shavings. We find that there are open bars for them, but 3-4 tend to sleep in the boxes.

 

[hawkeyext]

Thanks. I've left an e-mail with one place, and a voicemail with the other inquiring about a necropsy. Fingers crossed they are free or cheap!

 

[hawkeyext]

Hi Casportpony,

It turns out one of the labs on your link is offering a free necropsy. We sent her in yesterday. Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[casportpony]

Hi Casportpony,

It turns out one of the labs on your link is offering a free necropsy. We sent her in yesterday. Thanks so much for the advice!

That's great news! Hope it's nothing serious.

-Kathy

 

[hawkeyext]

Turns out it was yolk peritonitis. Also found out she had lice so we treated the whole flock.

Thanks again for the recommendation.

 

[casportpony]

Turns out it was yolk peritonitis. Also found out she had lice so we treated the whole flock.

Thanks again for the recommendation.

You're welcome, and thanks for the update.

-Kathy