Mysteriously Dead Chicken...

[horsepowerhaven]

I went out to my coop this evening and found my smallest hen lying dead in the coop--whith her eyes shut. She had not been laying an egg everyday for the last couple weeks, but other than that she was showing no signs of illness that I could see. Yesterday she was running across the yard with no problems.

Now that I think about it, the last few days she was acting weird and wanting to dust bathe in the cat's litter box on the patio. I use compressed pine pellets that swell when water is added and she was pecking around in the litter box. I kept "shooing" her out and off the patio (fence is getting put up tomorrow to keep the chickens off my patio), but she wanted to run right back.

Should I be worried about the other chickens? I did find a California Kingsnake in the yard, but they are harmless. I'm so sad, as she was my sweetest chicken...

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Turtle Island]

As someone who had a beloved hen die inexplicably rather recently I have no answers for you though plenty of sorrow for your loss. It does seem that there might be a connection between your hen's death and the cat litter ...I don't know anything about this though. It's just a sense. I'm not sure if you need fear for your chickens or not ... We've had chickens just die inexplicably, but none of the others followed ....

I'm sorry for your loss and hope the rest of your chickens remain well!