Not an emergency... but disconcerting.

[ChiknWyn]

We have a flock of Buff Opingtons, 5 (4) hens about 13 months old and 1 rooster, probably around 6 months. They live in an 8x4x4 coop with a 15x7 covered run and they are let out of the run nearly every other day to forage. The last week and a half or so one of our hens started looking very SLIGHTLY (I reiterate SLIGHTLY) sick, her comb and wattles were pale and her eyes were squinted but not runny. Other than that she seemed in fine shape, not droopy, just a little slower than the rest. Last night I went into the coop and she was dead. Any idea what it could've been?

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC and sorry to hear about the death of one of your Buff Orpingtons. Unfortunately it could almost be anything that caused her death. I would visually inspect the others for lice or mites. At nightime, go out to your coop with a flashlight and check the roosts and legs of your chickens for mites crawling on them. Check their poop for worms. Even if you dont see any in their poop, they could still have them. Parasites can take a chicken down quickly once they get a foothold.

 

[onthespot]

I second mites.

 

[ChiknWyn]

I checked, I haven't seen any mites on the birds or the litter. My coop is very clean

by chicken standards... and no parasites in the "poop."

 

[Blue_Myst]

It's very hard to tell what it might have been--birds rarely show they are sick until they are nearly at death's door. I'm glad they're mite-free. I would search for lice, too, if you haven't all ready. Check around the vent, the roots of the breast feathers, and the wings, and if they have lice, you'll definitely see them. And don't worry, my coop is very clean and dry for its age, and I'm still having problems with lice. Having parasites does not mean you have a dirty coop by any means.

I'm sorry for your lose, and wish you good luck with the rest of your girls