Found a dead chicken under the roost.

[Aspen47591]

When hubby went out to do chicken care, he found one of our Barred Rock hens dead under the roost. She may have been there for hours--we let them out in the run in the morning before we go to work, and do chicken care in the afternoon.

She was a beautiful, healthy bird as far as we could tell. The only clue is that the side she was laying on had blood on it. Not a huge amount and there wasn't any blood on the bedding beneath her.

Any ideas? My first thought was that the rooster injured her in some way. Is that possible? The rooster is not necessary and his days are numbered if he is responsible.

 

[acdoc]

maybe she fell off the roost and broke her neck

 

[Aspen47591]

She would have been only about a foot off the ground. There was no sign of injury to her head or neck.

 

[Mahonri]

Sometimes they just have a heart attack and die... sometimes a neighbor pecks them on the head enough to knock them out.