My sweet chicken died today....any idea what may have caused it?

[Rockergirl]

My 1 year old austolorp passed away today...... I'm trying to figure out why or if there is any worry that my other 3 chicks may get sick? She was perfectly fine....I let them all out to free range in my backyard and Astro ( the one that passed) was happy and running around like normal. About 30 minutes after letting them out I noticed her sitting in the yard while the other 3 where scratching like normal...I thought it was odd but thought, well, I guess she needed a rest. After about 5-10 minutes I went out there to check on her....she was still sitting there, breathing really fast (not panting) and her eyes were starting to close some and her head droopy...we brought her into the the chicken run where I have a fan and put a jug of ice next to her thinking maybe she was hot (we had heat index of 107 today). I tried to give her electrolytes, she wouldn't take it. Her head would perk up but then drop. We finally brought her inside thinking she needed to cool off. She passed away about 20 minutes later. Now we are trying to figure out why she was perfectly happy and then fell ill so suddenly....We thought heat, but she wasn't panting (she breathing really fast), or maybe she ate something bad outside? or maybe something bit her? Does this sound familiar....I want to make sure that whatever got her, isn't something that I have to worry about with my other 3....

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry you lost her.
What was her age and diet?

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to know what might have killed her, but the heat may have caused more stress if she had another issue. Your state vet could perform a necropsy tomorrow if you contact them early in. The morning and keep her body cold in the fridge, wrapped in clean garbage bags. I like to keep multiple water stations, and some flat pans of cool water in areas for them to climb in to cool their legs. 107 is pretty hot for any chicken. Do you have shade on your coop and run? Trees and shrubs can help shield them from hot sun. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Nomadicus]

I lost 3 RIR pullets in a single day once and never another one. Same type thing as you experienced. I buried them and just hope it never happens again. It's one of those things that can cost of lot of money that might be better spent on the living than finding out for sure. They lived in a clean healthy coop and free range environment. I wondered it they didn't eat a toxic weed. No way to know now. They had good diets of high protein layer pellets and few treats along with grass and clover. I saw one walk out the door and just drop dead.

 

[Rockergirl]

Sorry you lost her.
What was her age and diet?

She just turned 1 and ate Scratch and Peck organic feed.

 

[Rockergirl]

I lost 3 RIR pullets in a single day once and never another one. Same type thing as you experienced. I buried them and just hope it never happens again. It's one of those things that can cost of lot of money that might be better spent on the living than finding out for sure. They lived in a clean healthy coop and free range environment. I wondered it they didn't eat a toxic weed. No way to know now. They had good diets of high protein layer pellets and few treats along with grass and clover. I saw one walk out the door and just drop dead.

Oh my gosh, that's terrible, especially just walking out the door and dropping dead...It's just so shocking, she was a strong bird, very happy and perfectly normal when I let her out...

 

[Rockergirl]

It is hard to know what might have killed her, but the heat may have caused more stress if she had another issue. Your state vet could perform a necropsy tomorrow if you contact them early in. The morning and keep her body cold in the fridge, wrapped in clean garbage bags. I like to keep multiple water stations, and some flat pans of cool water in areas for them to climb in to cool their legs. 107 is pretty hot for any chicken. Do you have shade on your coop and run? Trees and shrubs can help shield them from hot sun. So sorry for your loss.

thank you. Yes, they have plenty of shade and they have a water container with nipples, a waterer and I leave out a big tub filled with water.