Found One Of Our Girls Dead

[Putt Hutt Farms]

We lost one of our girls today.
I did not see any trauma to her. She appeared to have been dead for awhile.
She had her head and half her body in a wooden box. Like she was trying to hide.
She wasn't even a year old yet.
Their (our flock) diet has not changed. And the temps haven't been that bad, cold wise.

I know there are countless reasons.
I'm just curious. Never had a young bird die like this.

 

[fried green eggs]

Sorry for your loss! Mareks can strike young with no symptoms and it's everywhere.

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry you lost a hen. Sometimes they die and you never know why unless you send her for a necropsy. I just lost a 1 year old out of the blue, same thing, tried to crawl into a corner in the nest. The pathologist says it's definately cancer but I have to wait to see which one. Hopefully the rest of your chickens are doing well.

I try to do a hands on check up every month , when they go to bed, I just go from chicken to chicken and feel their crop, their keel to see if they are skinny, and their abdomen for enlargement .

 

[Putt Hutt Farms]

Sorry you lost a hen. Sometimes they die and you never know why unless you send her for a necropsy. I just lost a 1 year old out of the blue, same thing, tried to crawl into a corner in the nest. The pathologist says it's definately cancer but I have to wait to see which one. Hopefully the rest of your chickens are doing well.

I try to do a hands on check up every month , when they go to bed, I just go from chicken to chicken and feel their crop, their keel to see if they are skinny, and their abdomen for enlargement .

I looked all of our girls over yesterday. No abnormalities, weight loss or abdomen enlargement. No changes in their physical appearance. The rest of the flock seems fine....today.
I pray it's not Mareks. But IDK
Thanks for the replies.

 

[seminolewind]

Try to do a hands on exam every month. Those fluffy feathers can hide a lot. And birds are also very good at hiding a lot. There is no reason to think it's Marek's anymore than any other illness. You can weigh out your chances by their history-were they all bought together? Did you add any new birds? Were they ever exposed to other chickens?

 

[Putt Hutt Farms]

We did a one on one individual look over. And we have come to the conclusion that Babe, our yellow lab, startled her and therefore she did of fright. Babe looks after them, but some times she playfully runs to them. never biting always playful. So today we went and bought two Cinnamon Queens (dads choice) and a White Ameraucana (my daughters choice).

Thanks for the replies and the suggestions.

And before you post, yes the new girls are quarantined


Thanks again everyone.