Four Year Old Hen Dead

[olbupp]

Found one of my 3 Wyndotte hens dead in her pen this morning. She was lying comfortably near her box and I thought upon entering she was just sitting there. I placed food and the other 2 immediately came and ate and I turned to see she had not moved. She was dead - stiffened already....so no doubt about that. I removed her and have looked for any obvious signs of injury or illness - felt her neck for an impaction and she did not look unusual in any way.

Now my question - I'm afraid to bury her if she could be infectious...plus our ground is saturated as we've had SO much rain....don't think I could even dig a big enough hole. So, I thought I hate to send her on to the dump, but that would be the best thing to remove her from the property to prevent any further illness ....unless someone suggests differently.

Is 4 years about life span? I've been getting 1-2 eggs lately and some days none. This morning I had 2 eggs. So, I thought she could be the one that was not laying. (don't feel a bound egg, either).

Any ideas?

 

[Toetwo]

I am sorry for you loss. There's nothing like mystery deaths to deal with--and then the corpse. My own inclination would be to bury her. Well, truth be told, my own inclination would be to call a vet to do an autopsy ($$) so I'd have an idea of what killed her. Then I'd have no qualms or worries about burying her or not. Somehow the dump seems even worse as then she might become carrion for rodents, etc. I wonder if there's a reason you think she should be removed from the property "to prevent further illness"?

As to age, I had a pullet die at age 8 months. Laid an egg in the morning, and dropped dead in the afternoon. Autopsy showed it was cancer. I have two hens who are 6. I have heard hens can live to 10, 12 years. I think it's in the genes and the care and general constitution. Four does seem young.

As to eggs, bear in mind that it takes around 30 hours for a hen to create an egg so it might be the three were hopscotching. But time will tell.

Again, I am sorry for you loss. I've had way too many chickens losses in the last year.

 

[olbupp]

Thanks for your response. Due to my husband needing a hip replacement, he's unable to dig a big enough hole to bury and I don't think I can do it so nothing could reach her. We don't think she had anything as there were no signs of illness prior. We do let them free range but don't put out any type of poison for anything for fear the hens could get it. We've not had any new additions, so something contagious would have to come in on our feet/clothing from feed store or other wild birds.

No signs of lice/mites and poo in pen looks normal. I'm not sure I could do a neocropsy and if I did that I'd know what I was looking at....so, I'm leaning to a couple of feed bags and off to the dump. I'm in S.C. - know of any reason I should do otherwise?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are far too many possibilities to speculate. The best bet is a necropsy and lab work at your state poultry lab. What state are you in?

A local vet will be much pricier than a state lab. Usually vets send them to the state lab anyway and charge additionally for the service. If you call your state lab, they'll likely send you a FedEx label for shipping the carcass. In the meantime keep it refrigerated.

If the bird hadn't appeared sick, it is unlikely it is a dangerous disease though there are some that are contagious and could cause sudden death.

I've had hens die suddenly from being too fat and from cancer. I've had 3 roosters drop dead of heart attack.

4 years, IMHO, is quite young. They can live 8-10 years or more. It certainly didn't die of old age.

My one wyandotte that died quickly was about 2 years old and had fatty liver syndrome.

What had your hen been fed for the last couple years?

 

[olbupp]

I'm in S.C. - she has been fed Kalmbach Non GMO Laying pellets - have access to Oyster Shells and Gravel - plus, allowed to free-range a few hours whenever we are home. We lost a hen a couple years ago and are pretty sure it was heat related - extremely hot days - 100degrees - and all others survived.

Occasionally a handful of Scratch...but we try to not give too much.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There may be more than this one but here is a SC diagnostic lab.

South Carolina

Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center

500 Clemson Road

Columbia, South Carolina 29229-4306

Phone: 803-788-2260

If you are putting it in the trash, I'd freeze it till trash pickup day. That will eliminate flies, maggots and stink.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Your feeding regimen sounds good. The only possible problem is if she took long winter breaks from egg laying but was still getting layer feed which could have caused kidney damage. Articular gout and urolithiasis can kill quickly with no outward symptoms

 

[olbupp]

I'm in S.C. - she has been fed Kalmbach Non GMO Laying pellets - have access to Oyster Shells and Gravel - plus, allowed to free-range a few hours whenever we are home. We lost a hen a couple years ago and are pretty sure it was heat related - extremely hot days - 100degrees - and all others survived.

Your feeding regimen sounds good. The only possible problem is if she took long winter breaks from egg laying but was still getting layer feed which could have caused kidney damage. Articular gout and urolithiasis can kill quickly with no outward symptoms

That is possible....seems to me someone wasn't laying....guess we'll notice in the next couple of days. Hate to lose one. Will wait a while to be sure other two healthy and then may purchase a couple new hens from a friend - and of course quarantine them first. Haven't checked on time frame for quarantine, any suggestions.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The word quarantine comes from a medieval Italian term meaning 40 days. That's how long they would make people stay aboard ships when they arrived in port.
I recommend a month as far from your flock as possible and tend to your birds prior to the new ones. Preferably change shoes and clothes between flocks.
In the meantime, also check for lice and mites. Worming the new birds in that time is also a good idea.
If possible, place one of your birds (sacrificial lamb) in with the new birds for a few days toward the end of quarantine. That would identify if the new birds are carriers of something they are resistant to but your birds are not.