Hen dead in one day

[handsomecock]

Ok so Ive had my hens for exactly one year now. Yesterday before leaving for a trip O said goodbye to all them when I noticed my Buff Orpington sitting down under the hanging water feeder woth her mouth open as if she was panting. So I picked her up put her on my lap and tried to give her water, but she didnt want any. I gently pet her as I always do and she calmed down as back to normal. As I walked away she went back into the same position. I misted some water around the run but no change. The coop and run are almost completely in the shade. Before all this she was occasionally broody but other than that no signs of something wrong. Im not home all day because of work and I cant tell if she was laying because I have 7 other girls of which 4 lay the similar egg. My buddy came last night to find her frozen stiff under the hanging water feeder. Her diet was only Organic soy free layer pellets and sometimes rice crispies, crickets, and raisins. She was very sweet and got along w everybody in the coop. I had my friend put her in 2 bags and pop her in tje freezer so I can get and autopsy done upon my return. Anybody got a clue?

 

[Chickenpood1]

This morning I also found my 1 year old Buff Orp dead under the roost. I checked on them last night about 10 pm (woke them up) and she was roosting fine. No trauma, weight seemed a little lighter than in winter, vent seems normal and clean although it had some clear discharge from it (post mortem). Looks like she died in her sleep for no reason. They had plenty of clean water and the fan was on during the day and they have access to shade and outside water too. Doubt they overheated or were sick. I keep their coop as clean as a coop can be. They have slowed down egg production from the heat but their eggs do not look deformed as if calcium were off. I guessed mine died either of being egg bound or having one broken inside where I could not see (the clear fluid), or simply died in her sleep. She was not panting last night.

For yours- maybe she was egg bound or feverish. They will pant when uncomfortable as well as overheated. Mine was my favorite bird. Hope to get another one or two of same breed next season. I also have a Black Australorp and two Americaunas.

--From Durango, CO

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! Sorry to both of you for your losses. Please let us know if you figure out anything!

 

[handsomecock]

So I was going to bring the body to be autopsied, however I found mites imside the coop. Talked to a local guy who says that they could have been the cause. I just picked up some red D.E. and apple cider vinegar to sanitize the area. He adviswd me to put a tub w 2" of DE in the run for them to bathe in. Also to take a brush and add some water to DE in a cup and paint it in the corners of the coop and nesting box. The ACV was added to their water to clean out their insides.

 

[Davlyn]

My Maran cross hen we found 2 wks ago under some brush , she looked like she just laid down & died, she was 1 1/2 old. yesterday morn I found my 5 yr old Blk sex link under the roost in the coop she just started to go into ( not her usual coop ) . she had been quite & a bit slow the last 2 day but no other signs of sickness.
I just white washed 1 coop & started on another with Hydrated lime & water, not because I had an issue , but because I was reading that it was a good idea~ after I got done read that doing the same with DE .

 

[handsomecock]

Yea people tellin me it could have just been their time to go, but I dont understand at such a young age with no fore warning.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Mites can indeed weaken a bird to the point that it finally dies. I would check all the birds carefully, including going into the coop at night with a flashlight and checking the roosts and the birds since that's when the mites like to come out to feed.

If you do have an infestation DE is not going to clear it up. The birds need to be dusted with Sevin or with Poultry Dust, same for the coop. I use Sevin spray in the coop since it's easier to get it into all the nooks and crannies where the bugs hide. It all needs to be repeated in 7 to 10 days since nothing will kill the mite eggs and you must break that hatch cycle if you are going to get rid of the mites.

ACV will also not clear out any internal parasites they have. If they've never been dewormed it would be a good time to start.

 

[handsomecock]

K thx