Found one of my girls dead

[beauzdad]

My girls are just 5 months old. Buff Orpingtons and Plymouth rocks. Started getting a few eggs over the last two weeks 3-4 per day..today I came home from work. And collected 7. noticed one of my hens was laying dead under the raised coop. Looks like her vent is torn open. No indication of pecking all feathers in tact. The eggs are still really small. Barely bigger than a ping pong ball, any thoughts on why she might have died. I'm crushed. These are my babies.

Thanks

 

[Whittni]

You can never for sure without an autopsy but it sounds like a prolapsed vent.

 

[mithious]

If you really want to know for sure, your local extension could do a necropsy for way less than a vet. That is what they call an "autopsy" for a chicken, a necropsy.

 

[beauzdad]

Thank you all.