Mystery death, please advise

[Cherrypie]

My 15 week old buff orpington died overnight and I have no idea why. She was seemingly healthy, eating, no issues at all. The only new thing is we introduced a new bird yesterday morning and maybe the shock of it was too much for her? She had been around the bird all day and there had been really no problem with the integration. My buff had no wounds, nothing to suggest any trauma. I am completely puzzled.

 

[TexasVet]

If it's not super hot where you are, it's possible a snake got her. I found one of my favorite hens dead one morning, not a mark on her. Then I noticed that the feathers around her head looked like they'd gotten wet. Two days later I found a 4' long rat snake in the coop.

Rat snakes are constrictors, so they can kill without making marks. But they sometimes kill things that end up being to large to swallow.

Not saying that's what happened to yours, but it's a possibility.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[Cherrypie]

It's been warm but she seemed to be coping alright with the heat (better than me!). Their coop is raised up so it would be difficult for a snake to get inside and I'm not sure we have those kind of snakes in Washington. She didn't seem too happy about the new bird but there weren't any big fights, just avoidance. I'm wondering if when I put her in the coop with the new bird for the night if it just was too much for her? Could a chicken die from the stress of a new bird?

 

[cmom]

I had a bird die for no apparent reason. I looked her body over good and found nothing. I guessed maybe a heart attack.

 

[Superior Chicks]

Last year I had a Buff Orpy hen that was standing at the waterer one second and literally turned around and dropped dead the next second. I just by luck was standing there when this happened. She made no noises or anything, just fell over and died.

After hours of research I found out that there is such a thing as "Sudden Chicken Death Syndrome". I am not kidding, there is such a thing, when a otherwise perfectly normal healthy chicken dies for no apparent reason.

Maybe that's your answer? I don't know, JME.

HTH

Ma

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Could the new chicken have a virus that went to the older bird? You never know.

 

[cmom]

I had a bird die for no apparent reason. I looked her body over good and found nothing. I guessed maybe a heart attack.

 

[mikesbigroo]

SCDS just sounds funny,, sad but true i guess,,

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