Lost a hen, not sure what happened

[jennykpna]

My brown leghorn was put out in the yard in the am with the other 3, and my daughter noticed shortly after the comb was bend over its eye. She picked it up and said it felt warm, we told her to bring her in the shade. The urgency wasn't apparent that there was something wrong. A little while later we found her dead in the yard. I asked my daughter if she had been breathing funny and she said yes, labored kind of. Any idea what was wrong? So sudden, seemed normal before the things my daughter saw; and I wish I had thought twice about what she was saying to me and I may have noticed and been able to do something to have helped her. I didn't think twice about what my little one was seeing. What could it have been? Teaches me to Always listen to your observant kids right away.

 

[Eggcessive]

Without a necropsy, it would be only a guess as to what caused the death. She may have been dehydrated, egg bound, or could have suffered from a bad heart or other things. A state vet can do a necropsy, and many of us do our own necropsies which can rule out some of the common problems easily seen without lab tests or microscopes. Sorry for your loss.

 

[jennykpna]

Without a necropsy, it would be only a guess as to what caused the death. She may have been dehydrated, egg bound, or could have suffered from a bad heart or other things. A state vet can do a necropsy, and many of us do our own necropsies which can rule out some of the common problems easily seen without lab tests or microscopes. Sorry for your loss.

How do you check for obvious illness? I don't think dehydrated, but I did just give water and I think she drank it. I used water from my sump pump drain that morning. I know weird, but it's ground water and I thought it would be better than fluoride ridden tap water. But the bucket I collect it in has had some algae growing in it. I wouldn't expect that to be harmful, but maybe. Or another bird or squirrel drank from it and brought disease to it. I think I'll save that water for the plants in the future. They always have access to fresh water with our chicken waterer with chicken nipples, my husband made out of a pvc pipe, it's impressive. Heartbreaking to loose a feathered friend