Hen got lethargic and died

[dudster]

Help! We don't want to lose any more of our girls.... we had an almost 1 y/o blue Delaware hen x Rhode Island red cross hen. Two days ago she was a happy, seemingly healthy hen, then yesterday I went to the run/coop to feed them and change out their water. I noticed her hiding under the wooden pallet we have leaned against the wall in the coop. Normally at that hour she would be out in the run with the other hens, so I went to pick her up and investigate. She just stood there and let me get her which is odd because she's one of our most skittish birds. She would hardly react to anything! I got her to drink a bit of water, but she wouldn't eat (again, odd), and put them all in the yard to free range for a bit thinking maybe she would perk up with her feet on some grass and some bugs to dig up, but she did not. She just kept trying to go back in, so I put her back in the coop, and when my wife went to check on her about 30 minutes later she was dead under the pallet, stiff, with what looked like water coming from her nostrils and beak. I don't have any idea what it could be, and don't want to lose any more of them!

 

[dudster]

I forgot to mention she also had diarrhea, but not the day before.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Welcome to BYC, though under sad circumstances, sorry you lost your bird. Unfortunately unless you noted any clear symptoms there is not really any way to know what happened to her unless you send/take her for a necropsy at a state poultry pathology lab. It is normal for there to be some fluid that leaks from the beak/nostril when they pass so don't worry about that. Did you notice if there were any abnormalities on her at all, like loss of weight or bloating in the abdomen? Had she been laying regularly?

Have you brought in any new birds recently? Coccidiosis is a quick killer and in adult birds they often fight it until they are very sick and just seem to die suddenly. Aside from that she could have had any one of a number of internal problems that either claimed her quickly or that she was able to hide the symptoms of until the very last. Chickens are experts at hiding an illness until they are very sick birds.

 

[dudster]

Okay thank you. The only symptom I noticed other than lethargy was that she had very loose stool, but only on the day she died. She was a consistent egg layer (one a day since she started laying). Her vent did seem just a bit swollen and pale. Oh! And her comb and waddles were darkened. They went from vibrant red to more of a deep purple/red-black color. No, we haven't gotten any new birds other than the chicks we just hatched one week ago, but they haven't been added to the flock or even brought outside. What should I do to help prevent coccidiosis in my other birds if that's what it was? We really appreciate any help.

 

[dudster]

Oh! And she also seemed to be having trouble breathing.

 

[Buddyrho]

Marek's disease

 

[Lor]

Okay thank you. The only symptom I noticed other than lethargy was that she had very loose stool, but only on the day she died. She was a consistent egg layer (one a day since she started laying). Her vent did seem just a bit swollen and pale. Oh! And her comb and waddles were darkened. They went from vibrant red to more of a deep purple/red-black color. No, we haven't gotten any new birds other than the chicks we just hatched one week ago, but they haven't been added to the flock or even brought outside. What should I do to help prevent coccidiosis in my other birds if that's what it was? We really appreciate any help.

Sorry for your loss.
It's impossible to say what could have caused her demise. With darkened purplish comb I think of lack of oxygen or blood flow. Maybe she had heart disease or some such. Best bet is to keep a close eye on the others to see if they show any symptoms.