Hen suddenly dies.....no blood, no idea why?????

[Willow's Meadow]

So I went down to the coop today after school to give my chickens fresh water and collect the eggs. I walk up to the coop and am just talking and singing to them, "Hi guuuuyyyyssss.......How are you??? La la la" And then I stop suddenly and stare at one of my 8 month old Buff Orpington hens laying dead on her side. I gasped and then walked in the coop to see if their was any blood. No blood, no scratches, no bite marks.......nothing. All the other chickens seem to be fine. I got them last summed and its my first winter with them and everything.....and the first time one of them has died. So I don't know if I should worry about it or not. The food their eating which is Purina Layena smells good, no change in food.

Their bedding is dry and clean.....smells good. Their were no holes in the coop walls or anything. Their was one massive, big whole in the sawdust/straw like they must of dug it. lol okay sorry.......maybe they were digging her grave?!?!?!

I know its not funny....I was a little sad but I'm not really, really atteached to them, they don't have names and their not really pets or at least I don't think of them as pets altough I do love them. But the coop has a cement floor.....they just dug a big hole in the shavings. Why do you think she died??? It was so sudden.....and I just don't know why she died. I don't think she was really cold or anything....its been in the 30s and we have had colder days and nights and they've been fining.They have had food and water. Should I worry about her death??? What if she was sick and the rest of them are sick??? They all look healthy.......I just don't know why she died.

 

[BarefootMom]

It happens. I had some pass away last summer that were young and healthy. They could have choked on something or just had a heart attack-who really knows? Sorry for your loss.

 

[EmmyGirl]

I'm so sorry--the same thing happened to me last Sunday. One of my girls was healthy in the morning and near-dead on her side by late afternoon. Mites covered her and made her so anemic she died in my arms while trying to kill them. Apparently it's not uncommon, and all the other girls were mite-free. Do yourself a favor and check the girls' vents, maybe give them a good dusting with DE or Sevin or Permethrin if you see any evidence. Again, I'm really sorry

 

[al6517]

Quote:
This is a very common problem when folks suddenly find their chickens feet up, people don't check for mites & lice often enough especialy those free range folks who seem to never check their birds for anything except dead carcasses from preditors. this is now when you will start to see more mites & lice as the weather begins to change a bit, handling them often and checking them will prevent this it's too late to save them syndrome. good luck to you.

AL