Found Hen Dead in coop:(

[AmberP1982]

We found our Luna girl (not even 2 years old) dead in her coop yesterday morning at 8 am. I went out to open their door around 4:45 am....we have a camera in there and I could not make out what happened. What do you all think? She had no signs of injury from the other hens and no signs of broken bones. We have dealt with hens being egg bound and I saw no signs of that prior to her death Maybe a heart attack? Sad day at our house yesterday
Thank you all

 

[Lillith37]

We found our Luna girl (not even 2 years old) dead in her coop yesterday morning at 8 am. I went out to open their door around 4:45 am....we have a camera in there and I could not make out what happened. What do you all think? She had no signs of injury from the other hens and no signs of broken bones. We have dealt with hens being egg bound and I saw no signs of that prior to her death Maybe a heart attack? Sad day at our house yesterday
Thank you all

Sorry to hear about Luna

I think sometimes when they die without warning it can be a heart attack, yes.

Do you know when she had last laid an egg? Egg binding is a possibility but sounds like you would have noticed.

Unfortunately without a necropsy it’s hard to know for sure. I had a very sick hen euthanised once and even the necropsy couldn’t determine cause.

Only other thought is could she have gotten into anything toxic?

 

[swamphiker]

I'm sorry for the loss of Luna!

Unfortunately this is something that happens sometimes. There is a name for it in the meat chicken industry, sudden death syndrome. Even in those production birds there isn't much known.

This happened to one of my hens a few years ago. She was a seemingly healthy 2-year-old buff Orpington who showed no signs of being unwell until we found her dead one day. Try not to beat yourself up too much, it sounds like there wasn't anything you could have done. Your other chickens will almost certainly be fine, but if you were to have another one pass it would be a good idea to get a necropsy.

 

[Mrs. K]

It just happens, a wise woman told me, think of it as a good life and a quick death, we should all be as lucky.