Healthy Chickens Suddenly Dying?

[Cuckoo4Cochins]

I have a flock of chickens that ranges in age from about 2-4 years old. All of them are healthy and laying. However, every few months we will lose one chicken. One day they will be active and running around their pen, and the next they will be listless and die quickly. Either that day or the next few. They have no other symptoms expect for being listless the day they die. Any input will be useful, please help!

 

[Kiki]

What breed are your chickens?
Where the vaccinated for anything?
Have you ever wormed your flock?

 

[Cuckoo4Cochins]

What breed are your chickens?
Where the vaccinated for anything?
Have you ever wormed your flock?

I have a few different breeds. Langshans,Cochins,Ameraucanas, etc. None of them have been vaccinated to my knowledge. And I haven't wormed them in probably a year or maybe more.

 

[Kiki]

You may be dealing with Marek's. They next one you loose you should send the body for a necropsy.
State vet's usually offer the service for cheap.
That way your know for sure what you are dealing with.

 

[Cuckoo4Cochins]

You may be dealing with Marek's. They next one you loose you should send the body for a necropsy.
State vet's usually offer the service for cheap.
That way your know for sure what you are dealing with.

Doesn't Mareks have noticeable neurological symptoms before death though?

 

[chickens really]

When birds die like that I lean towards heart attack before disease ....Chickens are being changed for egg laying and not long lives ...Possibly just getting old....

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

It's so hard to know when deaths are sudden and spaced apart. Reproductive disorders, crop issues, mites/lice and worms are fairly common in chickens. Having a vet perform a fecal float and gram stain can help rule out worms, cocci and bacterial infection.

If you do happen to lose another one suddenly, having a necropsy will give you some answers. Here is the link to your state lab:
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals-animal-health-laboratory-services.shtml