Healthy mother chicken suddenly died

[babyhuey]

My healthy mother chicken was found dead one afternoon. There were no symptoms or signs prior. She had hatched and incubated five chicks that are now two months old so she was getting back into socializing with her adult flock and was doing just fine. She was also the "top" of the pecking order so of course there was no signs of pecking, she just burrowed her hole in the dirt and was found that way dead several hours later. I have researched and cannot find any sort of diseases that would suddenly cause this in an 18 month old chicken. Any ideas?

 

[leadwolf1]

Heart failure or heat stroke are the two things that I would think could be the cause.

 

[babyhuey]

Heat stroke is what I figured too, thanks. We have had temperatures over 100 degrees. Now I am worried again, though, because I have since placed even more water around the coups and fill them every morning with fresh, cool water so that water is readily available no matter where the chickens roam. This morning all the chickens were fine and this evening one of the two month old chickens is nearly dead...she will not eat or drink and can barely stand. We have been feeding her electrolytes with a dropper but I am afraid she will not make it through the night. Could there be something more going on that is suddenly killing the chickens other than heat? Any advice would be so appreciated.

 

[leadwolf1]

The heat is terrible this year. Of course, something else could be wrong but, it would be anybody's guess at this point. If you really want answers and, lose another chicken, a necropsy is the way to go.