Losing hens, finding them dead in the morning

[Calero clucks]

Over the last six months, I have found four of my hens, varying breeds and ages, that passed away during the night. Three of them had been sitting on eggs, the fourth had never tried to hatch eggs. I check my coop every morning and every evening before bed, and the day before I found their bodies, all these hens had been acting quite normally, active, eating, no symptoms like a cough or discharge or anything. It was like a chicken heart attack or a chicken stroke, except two of them had passed so peacefully that they literally looked like they'd just hunkered down on their roost or nest for the night and died in their sleep.

I am heartbroken. I've only cared for this coop for a year but I've developed "attachments" and learned these birds. Two of the hens were great brood hens, and really interesting, interactive hens. I miss them every time I go in the coop.

And I feel clueless. What did I miss? What did I do wrong?

 

[redsoxs]

That is very frustrating, I'm sure. In the BYC search box I typed 'chicken died no apparant reason' and this link popped up. You might read through some old threads to help shed some light on your situation. Good luck and hang in there!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/508828/chickens-dead-no-apparent-reason

 

[casportpony]

Over the last six months, I have found four of my hens, varying breeds and ages, that passed away during the night.  Three of them had been sitting on eggs, the fourth had never tried to hatch eggs.  I check my coop every morning and every evening before bed, and the day before I found their bodies, all these hens had been acting quite normally, active, eating, no symptoms like a cough or discharge or anything.  It was like a chicken heart attack or a chicken stroke, except two of them had passed so peacefully that they literally looked like they'd just hunkered down on their roost or nest for the night and died in their sleep.

I am heartbroken.  I've only cared for this coop for a year but I've developed "attachments" and learned these birds.  Two of the hens were great brood hens, and really interesting, interactive hens.  I miss them every time I go in the coop.

And I feel clueless.  What did I miss?  What did I do wrong?

Welcome to BYC!

Where do you live?

 

[Calero clucks]

I live near Calero Resevoir, south of San Jose, CA. I have no signs of mite infestation, no gnats, none of the "bug" stuff...and the loss of my hens has been a bit scattered over a six month period. Two of them, at least, were candidates for "aged."

 

[casportpony]

I live near Calero Resevoir, south of San Jose, CA.  I have no signs of mite infestation, no gnats, none of the "bug" stuff...and the loss of my hens has been a bit scattered over a six month period.  Two of them, at least, were candidates for "aged." 

In California we can have necropsies done at UC Davis. Cost is $20 per submission, which is limited to two chickens. They also let us use their FedEx account, which saves on shipping. Last one I shipped a large peahen and the fee to overnight was only $20. If you lose another, you might want to consider shipping one of the four labs. The two I use are in Turlock and Tulare.

-Kathy