Our Wyandotte died. Answers?

[6512andgrowing]

My silver laced wyandotte started brooding, sitting on our other hens eggs, not moving (not eating or drinking that I saw) for over a week. Based on advice here, I moved her into a cage in a light spot, gave her food and water, hoping to break the brooding cycle.
After 24 hours, we came home today and found her dead!
She hadn't laid an egg since she started "brooding," she looked great and did eat and drink once she got into the cage.

Could I have killed her by leaving her in the sun for 5 hrs this morning? (about 85F). Or do you think she was sick?

I feel terrible but I'd love your honest answers.

Thanks,
Rachel

Growing children and chickens at 6512 feet: http://6512andgrowing.wordpress.com/

 

[welovechickens]

Unfortunately, yes, it's possible the heat killed her.

Wyandottes are VERY sensitive to heat, due to their very fluffy feathers. I keep my SLW in a pen with a metal (reflective) roof, a small fan blowing into the pen, and at least 1 frozen ice bottle at all times when the heat is 90 or above. She still pants and lets her wings hang most of the time. I'm sorry you lost your girl.

Honestly, I don't pen my chickens without access to shade, even when it's freezing cold out.....that's just me though.

(Then again it rarely gets freezing cold here!)

 

[6512andgrowing]

Thanks for your response. I appreciate learning this about Wyandottes and am heartbroken. She was such a beautiful, friendly hen.

 

[welovechickens]

They are beautiful, aren't they? Again, I'm sorry.

 

[MotherJean]

It is also possible that she was not broody, but egg bound. If she was, that's more likely the cause of her death.

 

[6512andgrowing]

If she was egg bound would we find eggs inside of her? Because we didn't.
Thanks,
Rachel

 

[speckledhen]

Could have been laying internally or have egg peritonitis. The first chicken to die here was a Wyandotte, just after two years old. We found loose yolk all in her abdomen. The day before, I noticed she was sitting in the shade on a cold day, rather odd. Picked her up, found no trouble anywhere. Next day, she died in a dust hole. Since then, I've lost three other Wyandottes to the same thing. Sometimes, you know they're dying, sometimes, you don't.