My BJG just keeled over!

[DOnSoCalOC]

I have 5 hens, all about 2 years old. Penny, my Black Jersey Giant, was laying in the yard with my GLW. My PR is Broody, so I was letting her out to get some water and food. I heard a flutter of wings. I looked and my Penny was on her side, convulsing, she flipped over onto her back convulsed, let out a sound, and died.

My girls are all fed a soy free, non GMO, layer feed from Scratch & Peck in WA. I use their scratch also. They are all, or so I thought, very healthy looking, great feather color, etc.

Can you give me any type of explanation "what" may have happened to her???

I don't want anything to happen to the rest of my girls. Should I be concerned about them???

I am stunned and shocked!

Bedding is straw, deep litter. I have had no eggs from my Barred Rock, Golden Laced Wyandotte, and BJG since the 6th (which is not abnormal). My Americauna is still laying, and of course my Partridge Rock has not layed in almost a week due to broodiness.

I am hoping something is not wrong, like a sickness that is going to wipe out my entire little flock.

Thank you.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm sorry about your hen. I had something very similar happen to my rooster when he was around the same age. He was crowing one second and keeled over and started convulsing. I posted on the site after it happened, too. People said that the convulsing was a typical part of the death process and the cause was most likely cardiovascular. So your hen might have had a heart attack or stroke. If you really would like to find out the cause of death many states offer low cost necropsies. Here is a link that has more info on that: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/40141/link-find-your-state-vet-for-a-necropsy

 

[DOnSoCalOC]

My husband just called and said that our compost pile may have bacterial blooms and that it should not be anywhere the chickens can get to it???

It is in a wire cage and it is a "hot pile".

They do go around it, but not too often.

 

[DOnSoCalOC]

I'm sorry about your hen. I had something very similar happen to my rooster when he was around the same age. He was crowing one second and keeled over and started convulsing. I posted on the site after it happened, too. People said that the convulsing was a typical part of the death process and the cause was most likely cardiovascular. So your hen might have had a heart attack or stroke. If you really would like to find out the cause of death many states offer low cost necropsies. Here is a link that has more info on that: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/40141/link-find-your-state-vet-for-a-necropsy

Thank you Scratch'n'peck. My husband also found some sites that talk about "Sudden Chicken Death Syndrom."

Considering we are only into our 2nd year of being chicken owners, this is all a learning process and new to us.