Healthy Chicken suddenly dies after having a seizure

[Eggcessive]

The chick starter or an all flock feed with 20% protein is just fine to use, as long as you make crushed oyster shell in a separate container available for those laying eggs. This is very easy when you have roosters and chicks or pullets too young to lay. But the layer feed is fine when you just have layers. My roosters did okay on layer with the extra calcium, but I would switch to all flock feed about half of the time.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

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.

Thanks Liz, your sharing means so much. Knowing we are not alone is an important part of healing and getting through tough situations.

 

[GRB73]

I'm sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful girl.
My RIR was almost 6 when she died of something similar in November. Not as suddenly, though.
She was very sleepy on a Wednesday. Was more and more lethargic until she had those seizures you described on the following Sunday night. I thought the "seizures" were heart attacks because her breathing became very labored after them.

I am very interested in the results of your necropsy. I didn't know this could be done and by the time I learned about it she had been gone too long.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I am sorry for your loss

 

[CrazyQuailNana]

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

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[topochico225]

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!!!

Take a look at the article I wrote about my pullet who died of FLHS- I’d link to it but I’m on the app.

How much scratch and BOSS are you feeding and how often? I’d definitely 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.

Unfortunately the death of my pullet was caused by one of my family members, who ignored my warnings against feeding so many mealworms. Stopped feeding the mealworms and all the chickens went from overweight to a healthy weight. This was about a year ago and two are still kicking.

So sorry for your loss.

edit: forgot she was only 8 months old when she died, changed hen to pullet

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

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?


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.

Well, i purchased the 16% Natures Best organic feed and immediately started using it. Do you think moving forward I should stick to the 18% chick starter? Attached is a pic of the ingredients. Thank you.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Well, i purchased the 16% Natures Best organic feed and immediately started using it. Do you think moving forward I should stick to the 18% chick starter? Attached is a pic of the ingredients. Thank you.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

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?


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.

Thank you. Here is a side by side comparison of the chick starter vs the layer feed. Can you look and tell me your opinion?