Hen was fine at bedtime, dead in the morning

[woodsorrel]

This isn't an emergency anymore since our sweet hen died this morning, but I am curious if anybody has experienced anything like this before. We had five, now four, polish chickens that are all approximately one year old. They had a very normal day yesterday, and they were all very active when we let them out to free range. Everything seemed normal when they went back in for the night. When my kids checked on the chickens this morning, they found Ruby lying beneath the feeder with her eyes closed. They immediately brought her to me, and she was still breathing but barely. She had no visible injuries. I gave her some electrolytes from a dropper and kept her inside. She was dead about twenty minutes later. We noticed a little bloody fluid on the towel she was resting on. I have no idea what happened to her. She showed no other symptoms. Is it possible she ate something poisonous? At this point I would just like to do my best to prevent the same thing from happening to the rest of my birds.

 

[coach723]

Honestly, without a necropsy, we would just be guessing. It could have been a heart attack, or an illness that she hid very well. Sudden death sometimes happens, necropsy is the only way to know for sure.

 

[azygous]

You have the means possibly to discover why she died. As @coach723 mentioned, a necropsy from a state lab in your area would deliver conclusive results. You would know what killed her. Since you didn't include your location in your profile, we can't help you locate a lab, but calling your university extension office will get you pointed in the right direction.

If she was actively laying, it may have been the proximate cause of death. Egg binding can close off the poop chute and that will often kill a hen within 24 hours. Another cause could have been internal laying. Another very freaky cause of sudden death is hypocalcemia. If a hen is low on calcium reserves, in the process of an egg coming into the shell gland and not finding adequate calcium, the body draws on calcium from the blood stream, creating a shock to the heart.

If you can't afford a necropsy, these being between $100 and $200 in most states, free in others, you can always open up her abdominal cavity and see what you can see that doesn't belong. Take photos and we can help you figure out what you might find.

 

[Kiki]

What exactly do you feed your flock?

Can you take a short clear video of the remaining chickens and the coop?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Yeah, totally seconding everyone else saying encouraging getting a necropsy done. And if you do, I really would give you a big loving hug and a kiss fir posting the results here as it’s sooooo incredibly helpful when people do this.

When I first read your thread title, I was going to ask you if there was any fireworks in your area the night before. I lost two hens due to sudden fright from a neighbor setting off illegal fireworks right over my coop. Chickens being prey animals have a death reflex when something startles them suddenly ir if they are feeling a certain pain threshold they just die…. …but it’s probably not in your case.

(EDIT: I thought you said blood and not bodily fluid. Keep that in mind reading the following). The blood in the towel ..do you think this is from her vent? My second thought after reading that is it could be coccidosis. I had a mother hen (with peeps) get it. I noticed in the evening a little bit of blood in her stool. I had no Corrid to treat her and planned on going to the store the next morning but by the morning she was dead. Some Cocci is SO quick to kill. If there was blood in her stool, then it’s a big possibility that’s the culprit..if so, you should treat your flock immediately with something like Sulmet or Corrid (Corrid being typically more effective). Look for blood in stool. In my case, my flock was previously infected and the stool looked as though someone poured a small vile of fresh blood over it. It was that evident. They survived though because of treatment.

Poisoning also is a factor, but the blood on the towel doesn’t seem likely, though it could be- depends on the poison I’d think.

There are also genetic factors. (Bad hearts/livers conking out early) Some birds will just reach a point where something genetic and festering gets to its breaking point. Again, the blood on the towel doesn’t really suggest this.

No way any predators got to her at night? Rats? Rattlesnake bite? Mites?
A necropsy at your state ag center should be free. Your vet might do it too. Death causes are often hard to pinpoint unless one has one done. I did a few (or attempted) a couple times but ceased after I realized doing so being untrained could cause me to get sick, so I Don’t suggest it, but it’s a last resort. Even at that, not having the equipment and knowledge of pathogens doesn’t help.


Anyway, I’m sorry to hear about your hen. If it’s any consolation, it sounds like it was quick, and after taking care of sick birds, I’d have to say those that go quick, have it best. Please watch out for the rest of your flock- cocci is my best guess.