Hen found dead... not a single wound on her body

[JacobMaxwell]

So last night I went to shut the the chickens in their coop like I do every night. Now, my hens are a bit naughty and usually a few of them go to my lilac bush to roost. As I was shooing the hens out the the bush I noticed one of them wasn't moving. I quickly realized that she was dead. There wasn't a single wound on her body and no blood at all. The body was still warm and not stiff. All the hens are just over a year old. They'd all been laying well this summer except for the fact that I got a few soft shell eggs in the past week or so (I was thinking maybe to do with the heat?).

I'd love to have closure and know what caused this hen to die so suddenly.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SilkieNation]

So last night I went to shut the the chickens in their coop like I do every night. Now, my hens are a bit naughty and usually a few of them go to my lilac bush to roost. As I was shooing the hens out the the bush I noticed one of them wasn't moving. I quickly realized that she was dead. There wasn't a single wound on her body and no blood at all. The body was still warm and not stiff. All the hens are just over a year old. They'd all been laying well this summer except for the fact that I got a few soft shell eggs in the past week or so (I was thinking maybe to do with the heat?).

I'd love to have closure and know what caused this hen to die so suddenly.

Thanks in advance.

Yes, it could have been the heat. Chickens can have a really hard time with heat, much more so than cold. Unfortunately, you won't get closure. Chickens do die suddenly at times - heart attack, ate something poisonous, the heat, disease. I would just watch your other birds closely for any signs of illness, provide them with deep shade and lots of water while it's hot, and maybe check your property for any plants known to be poisonous to chickens. Sorry you lost one of your girls.

 

[JacobMaxwell]

Thanks for your reply The other hens seem fine at the moment and they do get lots of shade under my lilac bushes.