Drop Dead Rooster

[Ahrandol86]

I went to check to make sure all the chickens made it in the coop for the night and I found my 4-month-old rooster dead. This particular rooster has never crowed. I always thought he was a little on the slow side mentally. But the pullets liked him. The day he died it was 115 degrees here in Louisiana. Since then, I have added a fan so at least they have air moving when there is no wind here in lovely northeastern Louisiana. The other chickens do not seem to be struggling. And I cannot think of any other reason this rooster would have just dropped dead. Has anybody had this happen or know how hot is too hot for my chickens. Plenty of people here keep chickens alive just fine. So why did my chicken die? Maybe the heat had nothing to do with it. I really have no idea. This is my first year as a chicken momma. Any advice is welcomed.

 

[coach723]

Without a necropsy it's very hard to know. He may have had other issues that were less obvious, that made the heat more than he could handle. Any bird with any kind of health issue is going to have more trouble with high temperatures. Could have been a heart problem, or other internal issues. It's always a good idea to consider a necropsy when a bird dies of an unknown cause. 115 degrees is plenty hot enough to lose birds, I've lost two older hens this summer in temps in the low 100's, despite taking all kinds of measures to help keep them cool. It happens.

 

[Kiki]

What exactly were you feed him each day?
Fatty liver disease kills quick...with no signs/symptoms.

 

[Ahrandol86]

Without a necropsy it's very hard to know. He may have had other issues that were less obvious, that made the heat more than he could handle. Any bird with any kind of health issue is going to have more trouble with high temperatures. Could have been a heart problem, or other internal issues. It's always a good idea to consider a necropsy when a bird dies of an unknown cause. 115 degrees is plenty hot enough to lose birds, I've lost two older hens this summer in temps in the low 100's, despite taking all kinds of measures to help keep them cool. It happens.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. That made me feel better.

 

[Ahrandol86]

What exactly were you feed him each day?
Fatty liver disease kills quick...with no signs/symptoms.

He had no signs of that but thanks for the idea.

 

[Kiki]

He had no signs of that but thanks for the idea.

Did you open him up to look?
Did you take pictures?

 

[Ahrandol86]

Did you open him up to look?
Did you take pictures?

It's not so important that I am going to do that. The odds are that it was heat stroke. I'm going with the odds.