I found my chicken dead in the coop - what happened?

[thechickenwhisperer24]

My red star who wasn't even laying yet was slow out of the coop one morning, was limping, slept in my arms for three hours, wouldn't walk, just kept closing her eyes and then she died.

Sorry about your girl, they really can't be replaced, can they?

 

[chickencrazy989]

maybe she had a disease, that killed her before you able to notice she was looking ill

 

[Nancy Goat Farm]

I just went out this morning to find one of my eleven hens dead. No cuts, punctures, blood, scratches that I could find. No egg stuck up in her that I could find. She was fine yesterday and this morning gone. She was safe in her coop/run all night. I guess it does just happen. I will be watching the other 10 closely for a few days. Hopefully no more die, if they do then I will worry about a disease or something going through my flock.

 

[mama -chicken13]

I too just found my baby chicken dead, got home this morning from church and went down to see how she was doing. I thought she was being broody and nope she was gone. I took a moment and my hubby took care of her 4 me. what do i do to keep the rest of my babies safe? I have now 7 one year olds and 5 that are just 2 months old. someone please help, i am a new mommy to my chickens and i want to do what i can to make their life as good and happy as i can. thanks ......mama-chicken13

 

[subhanalah]

I too just found my baby chicken dead, got home this morning from church and went down to see how she was doing. I thought she was being broody and nope she was gone. I took a moment and my hubby took care of her 4 me. what do i do to keep the rest of my babies safe? I have now 7 one year olds and 5 that are just 2 months old. someone please help, i am a new mommy to my chickens and i want to do what i can to make their life as good and happy as i can. thanks ......mama-chicken13

maybe you should make your own thread about this? This is a very old thread, not sure how helpful it will be for you.

 

[mama -chicken13]

My Easter was awesome, Church was great, but got home from having a awesome time with family and friends and found one of my chickens dead. don't know why she was still laying eggs and she looked heathy and ate. Just don't get it.
Mama will miss u wannabe.

 

[txcowgirl51]

I had my sweet hen Celeste fly off of a nest this morning and then she just began flopping around, it was horrible and I cried almost all morning, it sucks. RIP Celeste I hope chicken heaven is fun /img/smilies/hit.gif

 

[Cherps]

Hi all chicken Momma's!

I'm writing to tell my story of losing my beloved Georgia day before yesterday. She was a 7 month old Buff Orpington, and very beautiful. She had never laid an egg, when my other 6.5 month olds were laying everyday. It wasn't till I saw her separate herself from the rest of the flock that I noticed something was wrong, and also noticed that she was walking slowly, as if it were painful for her. It was then that I captured her and brought her in the house thinking she was egg bound. I gave her the 'spa bath' of warm water and Epsom salts...for 20 mins. Dried her with a blow dryer and massaged her abdomen...gently feeling for a trapped egg. Her belly was soft and spongy...no egg trapped. She was also mouth breathing more and more as time went on. By nightfall I knew she was not going to make it...mouth breathing had become constant. When holding her before I went to bed, I noticed she was really warm...too warm..her feet revealed a fever to me. I gave her water and she drank...and some fresh blueberries for treats. When I put her back in the large dog crate I had set up with straw for her...she laid down immediately. I was hoping to find her alive in the morning (12/20/14) but that didn't happen. She had died in her sleep in the early hours of the morning, as she was still warm when i found her at 7:30am.

I did a whole lot of research...seeking answers, when I ran across a possibility...egg yolk peritonitis. It happens in some chickens when the egg fails to find the right exit due to failure to form a shell. The egg yolk goes into the system somehow causing bacterial infection enough to kill a chicken. It goes real fast...or at least that's how I feel, from first noticing something wrong to her death was only 15 hrs or so. Because I couldn't bring myself to bury her, I had to wait for help to dig the grave to put her in. She waited 9 hours to be laid to rest...in that time she had become stinky...like a rotten egg..not the normal dead animal smell. To me, this confirms the egg yolk peritonitis theory. Sorry for the tmi.

I have been absolutely shattered that I could not help her...as I tried my best. I'm a new chicken mommy..and learning as I go....but this has taken it's toll on me. Weeping for 2 days now.

For those who have suddenly lost your chickens ..who also were not laying...this is probably what happened.

 

[BLUE GALLO]

I found 9 RIR and One RIR Rooster dead a month ago in my coop. I was told it was, a coon but haven seen it yet. Looks like the rooster put out a good fight. But not sure If that's what it was.

 

[chitownhens]

So sorry to hear. I too found one of my girls passed away yesterday. She was in the sand pit with sand on her beak and in the position where they are digging with their feet. She was still warm so it must have just happened. I know for sure she was not sick so I don't believe she suffered. Sometimes it just happens. They are all unique and of course she will be missed.