Help! Found my favorite chicken dead tonight. Blood on her beak and a little on her behind. Not an attack.

[Kimberlynn27]

I was so proud of myself being a new chicken Mom in December of 2022. All 8 of my chicks survived shipping and life with me. They will officially be 15 months old on the 2nd of March. I went out tonight to play with them and my favorite Black Australorp was lifeless in the coop. She had a little bit of blood coming from her mouth. Does anyone know what this might be and what I should do to protect the remaining seven? Heartbroken.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I was so proud of myself being a new chicken Mom in December of 2022. All 8 of my chicks survived shipping and life with me. They will officially be 15 months old on the 2nd of March. I went out tonight to play with them and my favorite Black Australorp was lifeless in the coop. She had a little bit of blood coming from her mouth. Does anyone know what this might be and what I should do to protect the remaining seven? Heartbroken.

Pictures are always helpful in situations like these.

 

[Kimberlynn27]

Ugh I didn't take a picture. It was just a little bit of blood and she was perfect yesterday. I spend so much time with them I would have noticed if she acted funny. I couldn't believe it. I did notice another chicken sneeze yesterday. I've never seen them sneeze before. Going to call a veterinarian tomorrow. Maybe prophylactic antibiotics for the whole brood?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Ugh I didn't take a picture. It was just a little bit of blood and she was perfect yesterday. I spend so much time with them I would have noticed if she acted funny. I couldn't believe it. I did notice another chicken sneeze yesterday. I've never seen them sneeze before. Going to call a veterinarian tomorrow. Maybe prophylactic antibiotics for the whole brood?

She could have just hit her head hard, smacking into something killing herself.
Another possibility is a hen fight turned deadly.

 

[Kimberlynn27]

I found her right on the edge of the back of the coop beneath the nesting boxes. They have an enormous chicken run but if she tried to fly up into the nesting box in the coop and missed then she could have hit her head, maybe? She was beautiful and sweet. Blegh

 

[MysteryChicken]

I found her right on the edge of the back of the coop beneath the nesting boxes. They have an enormous chicken run but if she tried to fly up into the nesting box in the coop and missed then she could have hit her head, maybe? She was beautiful and sweet. Blegh

Chickens die for the weirdest reasons sometimes. It's definitely a possibility.

I've had a good variety of causes of death over here.
I've had a couple that had symptoms that looked very much like bird flu, I put them down. Lost a few to predators, 2 to water Belly(Ascites), a heart attack, 1 case of cannibalism, 2 roosters died in a fight, & a couple cases of cancer.

 

[Kimberlynn27]

Chickens die for the weirdest reasons sometimes. It's definitely a possibility.

I've had a good variety of causes of death over here.
I've had a couple that had symptoms that looked very much like bird flu, I put them down. Lost a few to predators, 2 to water Belly(Ascites), a heart attack, 1 case of cannibalism, 2 roosters died in a fight, & a couple cases of cancer.

Ugh, I'm so sorry. They are so cute and sweet and easy to fall in love with. Guess it's a good thing I live in the city because I would have a nonstop broken heart on a farm.

Yes, Google is totally freaking me out with the million things that could cause them to get sick and die.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Ugh, I'm so sorry. They are so cute and sweet and easy to fall in love with. Guess it's a good thing I live in the city because I would have a nonstop broken heart on a farm.

Yes, Google is totally freaking me out with the million things that could cause them to get sick and die.

Deaths aren't that frequent really. Those are over the years. Though I do slaughter from time to time for food. Farm life is fun, & teaches valuable lessons. Also keeps you busy. The killing of a chicken you have to get used too, same with finding one dead.


It's alot.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I am so sorry this happened. It’s heartbreaking. My first loss was also a black Australorp and also a mystery. I came home from work and found her passed, laying on the ground in the run. I was devestated. I never found out what happened to her. There are unfortunately a lot of things that can happen, and chickens are very skilled at hiding their ailments. Since she seemed fine the day before, I’m inclined to think it was a freak accident or something specific to your Australorp and likely not contagious.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. I would recommend doing a home necropsy where you can open the abdomen and look at her organs. The body should be kept cold in garbage bags on ice inna cooler or refrigerated, not frozen. First, though, check her tongue and beak to see if it looked like her tongue or beak was pecked. If you can do the necropsy tonight, great, or try it first thing in the morning. You might find bleeding internally or blood clot. I had one die unexpectedly of fatty liver disease, and they have blood clots around the liver, plus huge fat stores under the skin and around organs. Is there any way she could have gotten into rat poison? Here is a video of a chicken necropsy to make you familiar with the organs: