Hen died during night. No apparent injuries. What happened?

[augustusthunder727]

Maybe somebody can help me. Had one of my twenty hens die last night. She was a Buff Orphington and only just turned 50 weeks old. I have a mixed flock of 9 girls at 50 weeks that are buffs, RI reds, plymouths and americaunas. My other 11 are at 24 weeks that are anaconas, jersey giants, light brahmas and americaunas. She died on her roost next to her sisters. There were no injuries or cuts. No signs of predators. She looked like she was sleeping. The other chickens showed no signs of awareness she was even dead. She showed no signs of sickness previously. She was a good layer about six eggs a week( I think). One of my chickens was laying hugemongous eggs. It may have been her. They were brown eggs' almost always double yolkers. I was getting two or three a week. Was she egg bound? Should I get a necropsy? I don't think I could afford it right now. Are my remaining girls safe? What should I do?

 

[Judy]

She most likely didn't have anything contagious if she was not sneezing, coughing, no eye discharge, etc. She could have had some sort of cancer, a heart attack etc.

You might want to look into a necropsy by your state vet for future reference, but chances are you won't be able to do this one. They have different requirements for the condition of the body. In the sticky on the emergencies forum there's a link for finding your state vet for a necropsy. Your vet's office maybe able to tell you, too. They are not usually very expensive.

 

[augustusthunder727]

Thanks. It's been two days and so far all other girls ok. I will check that thread about the state vet. She was such a lovely girl. She would perch on my shoulder and walk around with me in the barn. I think she was egg bound. Also up here in Souh Jersey there have been over a hundred cases of west nile ( two deaths in burlington county). I don't know if it could have been that. Like I said, I was getting double yolkers for a while and none in the last two days. I think they were from her. Thanks again.

 

[yo burrill]

If she was laying alot of double eggs then stopped my though is a reproductive issue.