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.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I am sorry for your loss

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I am sorry for your loss

Thank you Lenny.

 

[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]

 

[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!!!

 

[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

 

[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.