Old age

[haileyeverhart]

My hen Nellie is about 5 years old, yesterday she was fine out and about and this morning she was dead on the floor of the barn. This is exactly how I found my hen Lacy (her sister) a year ago. But Lacy looked ratty and didnt want to eat before she passed, Nellie was in perfect health. Can anyone explain reason for her death?

 

[SavKel&RynKel]

Sorry for your loss...

 

[mymilliefleur]

Sudden death like that sounds like a heart attack, but why she had one is harder to guess without a professional necropsy. Sorry for your loss!

 

[HuskerHens18]

I had a similar experience with my rooster, Lil Red. He always ate and drank, but before he died I noticed he slowed down a little, not quite as spunky. The next morning he was "asleep" in a nesting box.

Just keep an eye on the rest of your flock for any weird symptoms. I'm sorry about Nellie

 

[MelissaRose]

Are her comb and wattles blue? because usually when one of my chickens has a heart attack their comb and wattles turn blue.(most of the time)

sorry you lost her

 

[haileyeverhart]

Are her comb and wattles blue? because usually when one of my chickens has a heart attack their comb and wattles turn blue.(most of the time)

sorry you lost her

Not blue. And not on her side or back.

 

[MelissaRose]

 

[Nambroth]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, without a necropsy (or at a minimum, obvious symptoms before she passed), it's impossible to know and tough to even guess at what happened. There are many different things that could have caused it. If you'd like answers, consider sending her for necropsy ... it looks like Illinois has three labs: http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm