hen died suddenly this evening

[LutzFLdawg]

One of our Australorp hens died suddenly tonight. She was about 32 weeks old, give or take. She had been in the coop all day today, but I figured it was to keep out of the wind, which was very heavy today. I also thought she might had been staying in the coop because she was about to start laying, as I've found her sitting in a nest box a few times over the last couple of days but with no eggs.

She was acting fine yesterday, running around and interacting with the other chickens and seemingly like she was perfectly healthy. When I was examining her, she didn't have any discharge from around her mouth or any other visible symptoms around her head. Her back side had a few specks of poop on her feathers but nothing that would suggest a plugged vent.

Since she seemingly asymptomatic I have no idea where to start figuring her death out or it's a threat to the other birds. I have no idea what killed her, unless she got egg bound trying to lay her first egg. Any ideas?

 

[BantamLover21]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Being egg bound is certainly a possibility, especially if you have been seeing her around the nests lately. Or, she could simply have had a heart attack (yes, chickens can get heart attacks, particularly if they are overweight or stressed).

 

[theoldchick]

Possibly a cardiac event.

Sorry you lost her.

 

[dixielou]

Sounds like my little Trixie. She was up and about during the early part of the day. When I set out treats for them, they all came but her. Then I finally found her just sitting under a large tree. Put her in the coop just to make her feel more comfortable ( or maybe me). Went to check on her about 10 minutes later, still laying in the same spot, then she starting convulsing for about 5 seconds and then she was gone! So strange. So sorry to have her gone so quickly. Sorry for your loss too.