laid egg and died

[toughchickens]

I have (had) four chickens and about 2 months ago one of my hens was found in the coup and she seems paralized unable to stand I brought her in the house thinking she just needed to cool down _ I live in arizona it was 110 I forced her to drink some chicken gatoraid and gave her some oatmeal within 2 days she was standing but no walking I kept her in the house for a little over a week and she seemed brand new I sent her back out with her friends and 4 days later she laid an egg and died!!! I thought that it was the heat and the fact she had been sick earlier so thought nothing of it until this morning......I went to the coop and one of my perfectly healthy girls had laid and egg and died!!!! no signs of sickness. it is still about 100 during the day here but the morings and nights are beautiful. They get plenty of water and are in an open coop or in the yard. they are about 24 weeks old and for both this was there first egg. Not sure what is going on -

 

[southphoenixchick]

Wish I knew what's going on for you. My girls were laying for at least a month before dying although I will say that my last girl the rock died a few hours after there being an egg laid I can't say for sure if it was hers but it was on the ground near her and not in the nesting boxes like usual. I read about Marek's that they can have temporary paralysis, may recover, but usually die shortly after the temporary paralysis. http://extension.unh.edu/Agric/Docs/mareks.pdf Be cautious you don't want to loose the flock if you can seperate any with symptoms.

 

[chkn]

Wierd, I wonder if there could have been a little egg binding. Some extra nutrients and electrolytes might bring up their strength to lay. I've heard sometimes the good layers will die, maybe because of a heart attack or stroke, I don't know, but two in a row is suspicious.

 

[fiberart57]

When she was inside, was the house air-conditioned? Because if so, after a week of cool air then to go back out into the Phoenix area heat may have been a shock to her system.

Some chickens in the hot regions require a bit more pampering. One member of this forum who lives in Phoenix has an air-conditioner in his hen house. Other owners run fans or even swamp coolers, put out frozen gallons of water, hand out frozen peas and fruit just to keep the chickens cool. Chickens can tolerate cold much better than heat.

Sorry about your loss. It's frustrating to lose one after you've put in some effort and you think they're better.

Mary

 

[toughchickens]

Thanks all for your input.
Guess I'll see what happens when temps cool I do the frozen water block and feed cool things in the morning and in the afternoon. They get electrolyes every day in theree water especiall when its 110. I am switching to a double layer roof on my open coop to help with the heat and will need to add a fan or something I guess.

With egg binding they don't usually pass an egg do they and for two in a row the exact same way - minus the paralasys the 2nd hen showed no signs what so ever. I had someone tell me it might be bad genes -any clues on truth to that. they are all four from the same place hatched the same time.

Any phoenix weeds that might be a problem in my yard that would cause them to lay and die?

Heres something crazy it was the very first egg for both of them do you think they just stressed and had a stroke about it? I inspected and cracked the eggs and they look great yolk, whites, and the shells were very good and the perfect thickness.