Healthy Chicken suddenly dies after having a seizure

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello my chicken friends,
This morning i went to let my chickens out and 1 was laying in the run hiding and when i found her, it appeared she was laying an egg the way she was laying down. I instantly knew something was off because her color was pale, and her pupils seems very dilated. She let me pet her, and then seemed to, like, freak out (not sure how to explain), but it appeared that her legs stopped working. I instantly picked her up and brought her inside my goal to wrap her in a small blanket. During that time, she didnt move really at all except a bit more. I sat down with her on my lap and in that time, she had passed away.
I have a flock of 6. They all appear very healthy and yesterday all gave me an egg. I went outside late last night to witness them all on the roost. I have an autodoor that opens into the run with the sun. Which means, she went outside to run this AM. I went out at 8:30am and thats when i witnessed her episode and shortly after, her death. I immediately starting digging a hole which i placed her in, still wrapped in the blanket. The rest of the flock seems good and my main question is to gain any insight from others who may have experienced something similar. These girls are all Gold laced wyanottes purchased from tractor supply company a year ago. My instincts tell me it was a heart attack, but she was out in run for about an hour after the auto door opened, and like i said looked unwell when i seen her. She did one episode of what looked like she wanted to get up to run, but looked to have no control and fell over. Thats when i picked her up, and she was dead within minutes. Can a heart attack display this way? My girls do free range for about 3 hrs a day throughout the day and i wonder if maybe she ate something poisonous and am now scared to let the others out just in case. I am looking for any advice, or insight. Thank you kindly.
*Time heals all wounds of the heart* Today my heart is heavy. RIP Delicious. You were such a good chicken. I have attached a pic of how she looked as soon as I seen her this morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that you are fine using an 18% protein feed. Fat and extra carbs is what to avoid. I would cut back to one small handful of scratch daily or every other day. They all love it, but it is like feeding candy. There are other possible causes of fatty liver than feed. She could have had most any kind of problem at one year. Hopefully, your others will all remain healthy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Can a heart attack display this way?

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome also can present as sudden death. As can kidney failure.

Ascites (water belly) can be a symptom of heart failure conditions.

Both have genetic components that may make an individual more susceptible to the condition EVEN if there was no mismanagement with excess treats.

No way to tell for sure without getting (or doing) a necropsy and looking at internal organs.

What you describe as freak out.. is kinda how the "death throw" might present.

*Time heals all wounds of the heart* Today my heart is heavy. RIP Delicious.

I'm not sure that's true. But I HOPE it is. Actually it's NOT.

Time by itself is meaningless. LOVE heals all wounds of the heart (over and throughout time), friend! Sorry for your loss.

I love that name Delicious, she's a beauty!

While I don't suspect poison, I would definitely analyze the possibilities.

Refrigerated is better but here's a link to your state lab in case you do decide to try and send her in.. or have it on your radar for any future concerns.

Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory: Home​

https://cvmdl.uconn.edu

 

[MysteryChicken]

A necropsy would be a good way to determine death. If you can resume the body, & send to a lab, or perform one, & post the gut pictures here with a description of each part would be helpful for identifying what caused her death.

But a lab can do a viral, or bacterial testing to identify possible Disease that may have killed her.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Sorry for your loss. It would be helpful to get the necropsy if possible. Since it is Friday, they would probably need the body today if possible. I would doubt it being fatty liver disease at just barely a year old, especially if she was not overweight. I diagnosed it in only one of my hens, and it was hard to miss on a home necropsy. But the vet pathologists at the state lab do so much more. Let us know if you find out a cause.

Eggcessive, with this being my first flock, i am a bit unknowledgeable. I buried her quickly. Moving forward, i will give the chickens less scratch. I think i was giving too much, but i cant be sure. For example, how much chicken scratch can i give in one day for 6 pullets? Saying less than 10% of their overall feed doesnt make sense to me. I think i give a couple handfuls a day. Not big handfuls, but handfuls none the less. Thank you. Also, the 18% organic feed is what i give now and i think i need to get 16% layer feed instead. Gonna go grab a bag now. Thank you again. Your support means a lot

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Boss is high fat so also high calorie. Scratch is low nutrient for the energy it packs.

All my birds get 20% protein their whole life, it's NOT the protein content of your feed. And that's not what I would switch. Treat amount is more suspect, not discounting the genetic component or pointing any fingers. I DO think you were giving too much as described.

I agree that whole 10% rule is confusing and most chicken feed don't even have a calorie count listed.. so are we talking volume, or calories.. I think calories but surely volume becomes relevant at some point.

I didn't see it stated, but are your ladies getting their calcium on the side free choice?

switch to 16% layer feed- this should have been done when they started laying. It’s more nutritionally complete than chick starter for their age.

Only because of the calcium content.. otherwise as long as the calcium is supplemented free choice on the side the starter feed may be better. with higher protein and maybe even amino acid content. Many of us here refuse to use "layer" since learning the differences.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Hello my chicken friends,
This morning i went to let my chickens out and 1 was laying in the run hiding and when i found her, it appeared she was laying an egg the way she was laying down. I instantly knew something was off because her color was pale, and her pupils seems very dilated. She let me pet her, and then seemed to, like, freak out (not sure how to explain), but it appeared that her legs stopped working. I instantly picked her up and brought her inside my goal to wrap her in a small blanket. During that time, she didnt move really at all except a bit more. I sat down with her on my lap and in that time, she had passed away.
I have a flock of 6. They all appear very healthy and yesterday all gave me an egg. I went outside late last night to witness them all on the roost. I have an autodoor that opens into the run with the sun. Which means, she went outside to run this AM. I went out at 8:30am and thats when i witnessed her episode and shortly after, her death. I immediately starting digging a hole which i placed her in, still wrapped in the blanket. The rest of the flock seems good and my main question is to gain any insight from others who may have experienced something similar. These girls are all Gold laced wyanottes purchased from tractor supply company a year ago. My instincts tell me it was a heart attack, but she was out in run for about an hour after the auto door opened, and like i said looked unwell when i seen her. She did one episode of what looked like she wanted to get up to run, but looked to have no control and fell over. Thats when i picked her up, and she was dead within minutes. Can a heart attack display this way? My girls do free range for about 3 hrs a day throughout the day and i wonder if maybe she ate something poisonous and am now scared to let the others out just in case. I am looking for any advice, or insight. Thank you kindly.
*Time heals all wounds of the heart* Today my heart is heavy. RIP Delicious. You were such a good chicken. I have attached a pic of how she looked as soon as I seen her this morning.

So sorry.
One of my happy healthy hens died suddenly last year.
Necropsy showed healthy except for enlarged heart...heart attack or heart disease.
Sometimes there may be something wrong that is not visible, not curable.
I know how you feel though, I was shocked when my feisty, active Sweet Pea died in her sleep, literally still on the perch. The consolation is that while she was here, sharing life, She had a good one.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I am sorry for your loss

Thank you Lenny.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome also can present as sudden death. As can kidney failure.

Ascites (water belly) can be a symptom of heart failure conditions.

Both have genetic components that may make an individual more susceptible to the condition EVEN if there was no mismanagement with excess treats.

No way to tell for sure without getting (or doing) a necropsy and looking at internal organs.

What you describe as freak out.. is kinda how the "death throw" might present.


I'm not sure that's true. But I HOPE it is. Actually it's NOT.

Time by itself is meaningless. LOVE heals all wounds of the heart (over and throughout time), friend! Sorry for your loss.

I love that name Delicious, she's a beauty!

While I don't suspect poison, I would definitely analyze the possibilities.

Refrigerated is better but here's a link to your state lab in case you do decide to try and send her in.. or have it on your radar for any future concerns.

Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory: Home​

https://cvmdl.uconn.edu

Eggsighted,
Thank you! I immediately called CVMDL and was given very good information. I learned what to do moving forward. The cost to do a necropsy is 25.00 in CT. She informed me that the fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome is the most common result they see.
So, now i have to question their diets a bit. I currently feed my one year old chickens 18% organic chick starter. My thinking was the protein content of 18% may be better than the 16% normally found in all the other feeds. They do not get table scraps, instead organic chicken scratch and boss. I think i may buy the 16% moving forward. In other words, are they getting too much protein?? Ugh, i hope i am not the cause of this fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome. Thank you for your time. What can i do moving forward to help their little livers? Or, can they be born this way? Ugh, she was so healthy yesterday. Thank you. The support is everything!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. It would be helpful to get the necropsy if possible. Since it is Friday, they would probably need the body today if possible. I would doubt it being fatty liver disease at just barely a year old, especially if she was not overweight. I diagnosed it in only one of my hens, and it was hard to miss on a home necropsy. But the vet pathologists at the state lab do so much more. Let us know if you find out a cause.