mysterious heartbreaking death

[PriscillatheRooster]

I lost my first hen last night and I am devastated. I check on them multiple times a day, they have all been well fed, and kept warm. She did not appear to be egg bound, there was no blood present. I had checked on them around 4:30 PM, and went to get groceries, when I returned around 6 I went to make sure the had gone to bed. I found two of them on a perch in the middle of their fairly large run, which I thought very odd. I found the third in the coop, but the fourth was in between the coop and the garage, very recently deceased as she was still warm. Rigor had not set in, and I believe I found her within a half hour of her death based on the her temp when I found her. Our coop is fairly small (I am already starting on a better designed coop.) In the summer and autumn we were running into an issue with the flock preferring to roost on the roof of the coop rather than inside. In November, as it was starting to get cold, and we needed a neighbor to watch them for a few days, we fenced off the access to the roof of the coop with 3" wire garden fence which kept them from roosting on the roof and they had returned to putting themselves to bed. My only guess is with the temps the last few days in the 40's, one our hens attempted to jump on to the roof of the coop, became entangled in the wire between the wall of the garage and the roof fencing and broke her neck. Her neck felt incredibly floppy when I found her, albeit that chicken have very flexible necks. It is the only thing I can think of, becuase they had access to food and clean water and showed no signs of illness whatsoever. to further support this, I think that is why I found two of the flock spooked and on the play perch in the middle of the run fairly far from the coop and the third inside. I think one went to bed, the other thought "hey its spring, I am going on the roof", became entangled, struggled and died, causing the other two chickens to spook and roost on the play perch. I had a hard time finding any other cases similar to this, but wanted to see if anyone could offer any theories. I can provide pictures of the run and coop, if it helps. Obviously I immediately removed the roof fencing, and if I need to to I will put them to bed by hand everynight until I finish the new coop. We raised the four of them from chicks, got them through a hot summer and a cold winter, and I am pretty upset about the whole ordeal, they bring me great joy and I am very invested and now I cant shake feelings of failure, and that I have no business keeping chickens. The only other think I could think of is that she became poisoned from the drinking water, I have a heated twist on resevoir waterer and base, which I clean and refill several times a week, but they do constantly make it a mess, In the summer I use poultry nippes, which are much cleaner, but in the winter they freeze up, so I have been using the heated waterer. If anyone has any other ideas or if they think the scenario I described is a possibility please let me know.

 

[Callender Girl]

You may never know what happened, and I can't offer any reasonable scenarios. I would be surprised if it was the heated waterer, however,

I sometimes see folks suggesting you send the dead chicken for an autopsy; I did that once with a sheep and for $150, the result was only what it WASN'T; Kyra was still dead and I was poorer by $150. I'm sure it would less expensive for a chicken, if that's the route you want to go.

The important thing is not to think that you have "no business keeping chickens." If her death didn't bother you, if you weren't trying to make sure no other hen ends up the same way, if you weren't doing everything you know how to do, THEN you would have no business keeping chickens, in my opinion.

When bad things happen, I almost ALWAYS have the initial reaction that you are having. But I look at all the other birds who are living happy, healthy lives and realize that I can't control everything, but I can do my best.

I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm sorry for your loss. A necropsy is the best route if you want to find out what happened. Look up your state university and see if they have a lab that accepts chickens. Or if they don't, look at neighboring states. Call a vet and ask if they do necropsies, or if they don't, if they can direct you to a lab that does. I just did that recently. My state doesn't have anything right now, because of COVID-related personnel shortages, but the vet directed me to the University of Maine, and they did a necropsy on my hen for $30. Shipping was $16. Not prohibitively expensive and so worth it! It will put your mind at ease if it was something else entirely, which is very likely. In my case, it was heart failure from a bad valve. I wouldn't assume broken neck just from the floppiness. Chicken necks are incredibly floppy once the bird dies, even if there's nothing broken! Like, shockingly floppy, because they are so long and thin compared to the body (or compared to mammals). Keep the bird refrigerated (but not frozen) and look into getting a necropsy as soon as you can while she's still fresh, so you can have closure.

 

[PriscillatheRooster]

You may never know what happened, and I can't offer any reasonable scenarios. I would be surprised if it was the heated waterer, however,

I sometimes see folks suggesting you send the dead chicken for an autopsy; I did that once with a sheep and for $150, the result was only what it WASN'T; Kyra was still dead and I was poorer by $150. I'm sure it would less expensive for a chicken, if that's the route you want to go.

The important thing is not to think that you have "no business keeping chickens." If her death didn't bother you, if you weren't trying to make sure no other hen ends up the same way, if you weren't doing everything you know how to do, THEN you would have no business keeping chickens, in my opinion.

When bad things happen, I almost ALWAYS have the initial reaction that you are having. But I look at all the other birds who are living happy, healthy lives and realize that I can't control everything, but I can do my best.

I am very sorry for your loss.

Thank you for your advice and kind words. I am going to plant a mulberry tree where I buried her, it should eventually drop berries into the run for them

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I found two of them on a perch in the middle of their fairly large run, which I thought very odd. I found the third in the coop,

Very sorry for your loss!

Predator attack (or visit) when birds are scattered to random places. I agree with your spooked idea, though suspect another cause. Chicken necks are super floppy once deceased, even when not proken.

Every one of them will die no matter how "safe" we make it. We provide the best life possible, PLEASE, don't beat yourself up for a tragic accident.

the fourth was in between the coop and the garage, very recently deceased as she was still warm

Would this be stuck in the roof fencing, dropped underneath it, or not near the roof fencing (sorry for asking)? I have had birds hang themselves in a kennel, using 1 inch or smaller fencing that heads cant go through or solid top will always be my recommendation from now on.

Fruiting trees are a nice commemoration.

 

[Weeg]

Not sure what has been mentioned already, but I do think that a necropsy is your best option. Unfortunately we will never be able to know for sure without a necropsy. I lost my dear Smudge last year on Halloween, I was devastated. I felt the need for closure, so decided to do an at home necropsy the next day. By posting photos on BYC, they are able to guess it may be ALV, or Mareks disease. I sent her to the lab for hystopatholigoy after that since I wanted to test for viral diseases. It ended up being 80$, and it was money well spent. I now know what happened, and how to move forward with my flock. In your case, most labs will do a necropsy for 35$, relatively cheep. My route was only more expensive because I needed more testing done.
It does help you get closure, I know it helped me. I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Weeg]

Thank you for your advice and kind words. I am going to plant a mulberry tree where I buried her, it should eventually drop berries into the run for them

Do you still have her body? Is a necropsy something you are interested in pursuing? If so, you'll want to keep her body refrigerated and not frozen. I'm so sorry your having to do this.

 

[Weeg]

Additionally, you are doing more for you hen than most would do for hens they lost. You cam looking for answers, and are trying to do everything you can to make sure the rest of your flock is safe. Not everyone is as proactive as you. You did not fail, its unfortunate, but sometimes we learn the hard way. I know I have to many times. Your hen knew she was loved, you are obviously a very good chicken momma. I'm so sorry for your loss, just remember, it gets better. Time heals all wounds.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I lost two ducks close together. One run over by the Plummer and one killed by a hawk. They must have been eating sunflower seeds before they died as a large sunflower grew out of each grave. Sorry for your loss.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Sometimes they just die. I’ve had that happen before. A hen happy and healthy and the next morning stiff as a board. Could be a heart attack or heart failure but like others have said it’s impossible to know without an autopsy but seeing as I’ve never had one done I can’t recommend or not recommend it being done. Sometimes things like this happen. I’m very sorry for your loss.