Hi
My Red Sexlink rescue hen, Scarlett died suddenly on Good Friday. There was no warning.
Context: she was 5 years old and an amazing layer - laid for 2 years solid before moulting the last time in November. She layed her last egg on the 5th April and stopped laying. I tried to see if she was internally laying but she seemed not to be blocked etc and was behaving perfectly normally. She was very friendly and would fly onto my shoulder every time she could. She did this during the week - and was as normal as can be. She was eating and pooping normally and had a really good appetite if I took down any treats etc.
She was fine on Thursday but laid a little soft Fairy Egg - it had no shell, was about the size of a small cocktail sausage and it had no yolk. I thought this was a good sign because she was not blocked and hopefully would start laying normally again soon. She went to bed normally - perched no problem.
On Friday morning I let them out. She was first as usual - came out of the sleeping area and jumped down to get to the food (again, she did this every day and couldn't be bothered with the stairs). It was a sunny and warm day here in the UK for Spring - not blazing heat but the hottest day we have had so far this year. We went out to the Good Friday service and when we came back, I noticed very quickly that she didn't run up to the end of her cage. She did that whenever she heard us or if she saw us in the house. I knew something was wrong.
I went up to the run and saw her laying dead inside the coup (which is always in the shade inside) and her legs were behind her and her neck curled around. I could see from the straw on the floor that she must have been sitting there or something as there was a little clear spot of straw, but all around her was normal, so I don't think she thrashed around as she died.
I buried her today but have been finding it very hard to deal with. Not only was she a hen that actually was excited when she saw me, she simply died without warning. I have never had this happen before - all of my previous hens have had a brief (or sometimes not so brief) illness and then died. I always get upset when I lose one (they are pets) but this is particularly difficult.
So my question is: any ideas? Have other people had a seemingly healthy hen just die suddenly? Can they have heart attacks or strokes? I just cannot fathom it and it is driving me crazy. I cannot stress enough that she was fine, other than going off lay for 9 days, and her behaviour was absolutely normal. Any help, thoughts etc would be gratefully received.
Thank you and Happy Easter to all.
My Red Sexlink rescue hen, Scarlett died suddenly on Good Friday. There was no warning.
Context: she was 5 years old and an amazing layer - laid for 2 years solid before moulting the last time in November. She layed her last egg on the 5th April and stopped laying. I tried to see if she was internally laying but she seemed not to be blocked etc and was behaving perfectly normally. She was very friendly and would fly onto my shoulder every time she could. She did this during the week - and was as normal as can be. She was eating and pooping normally and had a really good appetite if I took down any treats etc.
She was fine on Thursday but laid a little soft Fairy Egg - it had no shell, was about the size of a small cocktail sausage and it had no yolk. I thought this was a good sign because she was not blocked and hopefully would start laying normally again soon. She went to bed normally - perched no problem.
On Friday morning I let them out. She was first as usual - came out of the sleeping area and jumped down to get to the food (again, she did this every day and couldn't be bothered with the stairs). It was a sunny and warm day here in the UK for Spring - not blazing heat but the hottest day we have had so far this year. We went out to the Good Friday service and when we came back, I noticed very quickly that she didn't run up to the end of her cage. She did that whenever she heard us or if she saw us in the house. I knew something was wrong.
I went up to the run and saw her laying dead inside the coup (which is always in the shade inside) and her legs were behind her and her neck curled around. I could see from the straw on the floor that she must have been sitting there or something as there was a little clear spot of straw, but all around her was normal, so I don't think she thrashed around as she died.
I buried her today but have been finding it very hard to deal with. Not only was she a hen that actually was excited when she saw me, she simply died without warning. I have never had this happen before - all of my previous hens have had a brief (or sometimes not so brief) illness and then died. I always get upset when I lose one (they are pets) but this is particularly difficult.
So my question is: any ideas? Have other people had a seemingly healthy hen just die suddenly? Can they have heart attacks or strokes? I just cannot fathom it and it is driving me crazy. I cannot stress enough that she was fine, other than going off lay for 9 days, and her behaviour was absolutely normal. Any help, thoughts etc would be gratefully received.
Thank you and Happy Easter to all.
