Hen death

[savvychickz]

So this morning when I went out the let my chickens out I noticed one of my welsummer hens deceased on the floor, above her was where she used to perch at night. No visible wounds, like she was sleeping and then just fell dead. She was definitely older than our other hens, she wasn’t laying that we know of, would this be normal or do I have to watch behavior of my whole flock?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So this morning when I went out the let my chickens out I noticed one of my welsummer hens deceased on the floor, above her was where she used to perch at night. No visible wounds, like she was sleeping and then just fell dead. She was definitely older than our other hens, she wasn’t laying that we know of, would this be normal or do I have to watch behavior of my whole flock?

I'm sorry to hear about your hen

There's really no way to know what happened unless you perform your own necropsy or send the body to your state lab for examination. Older hens that have not been laying eggs can be suffering from reproductive disorders that may cause a quick death, she may have had a heart attack or sudden organ failure - just speculation on my part, but couldn't say definite.

As for the others, it won't hurt to keep close watch to see if any develop symptoms of illness - lethargy, not eating/drinking, isolating themselves, etc.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just lost a hen similarly last week. It was during the day and they were all outside. When I went out for the afternoon check on them, she was just laying there dead. She was the last of my original flock. I don't actually know what the life span is of a chicken, but I know she was still laying an egg about once a week for the last year. I've been watching the rest of the flock and they all seem fine to me. I didn't do a necropsy. It is hard to lose them, is it not?