pullet died suddenly

[iminyurseattle]

I noticed some lime green or bright green poops from my 2.5 month old wyandotte this morning when I was cleaning the coop. She was roaming around the run like normal but when I picked her up she was lazy and lethargic in my arms. When I laid her back on the ground she didn't get back up. So I came inside the house for a couple hours to browse the forums about green poops and when I went back outside she was dead. No signs of lice, mites, or respiratory problems or swelling or mysterious liquids coming out or anything like that.

I only have one remaining Chantecler pullet, same age from the same farm, and she seems normal, though very lonely now. How long should I wait before bringing a new hen home? I want my remaining lady to be happy, but I don't want to introduce a new hen to the same mysterious disease either.

If anyone has a thought on what might have killed my chicken, or what I might do to the coop to prepare it for others in the future that would be great. The run is all dirt, and the coop has liberal DE spread around and I'm using the deep litter method.

 

[ten chicks]

I noticed some lime green or bright green poops from my 2.5 month old wyandotte this morning when I was cleaning the coop. She was roaming around the run like normal but when I picked her up she was lazy and lethargic in my arms. When I laid her back on the ground she didn't get back up. So I came inside the house for a couple hours to browse the forums about green poops and when I went back outside she was dead. No signs of lice, mites, or respiratory problems or swelling or mysterious liquids coming out or anything like that.

I only have one remaining Chantecler pullet, same age from the same farm, and she seems normal, though very lonely now. How long should I wait before bringing a new hen home? I want my remaining lady to be happy, but I don't want to introduce a new hen to the same mysterious disease either.

If anyone has a thought on what might have killed my chicken, or what I might do to the coop to prepare it for others in the i future that would be great. The run is all dirt, and the coop has liberal DE spread around and I'm using the deep litter method.

I believe green poop (other than eating grass clippings,etc.)can be an indication of not eating. Could she have had impacted crop? Next guess would be Coccidiosis,i have seen chicks with Cocci,that had green poop,because they were not eating. I would also recheck for lice/mites(vent area.under wings,base of tail feathers).

 

[iminyurseattle]

I'll keep an eye out for red or bloody poop from the remaining chicken. I feed them medicated feed (Start & Grow) and introduced them gradually to the dirt run in the last month but I know that is not a guarantee that they won't get cocci.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most people never know why their chickens die when they have no outward symptoms. Some people do necropsies on their birds--usually people who have had chickens for years. Your pullet was at the right age for cocci, and lethargy and poor appetite are some of the symptoms. She may not have had anything infectious, but I would be tempted to go ahead and treat the other pullet with Corid. Then I would look for another pullet to bring home for company because chickens do not do well alone.

 

[CedarAcres]

Green poop can indicate not eating. Also, one of my chickens had green (smelly) poop when she had a bad infection, but she recovered after being treated. Was her crop full/feeling hard or balloon like? Possibly a sour or impacted crop?

 

[iminyurseattle]

Green poop can indicate not eating. Also, one of my chickens had green (smelly) poop when she had a bad infection, but she recovered after being treated. Was her crop full/feeling hard or balloon like? Possibly a sour or impacted crop?

When I picked her up this morning it seemed small like a grape but not hard or balloon-y.

 

[iminyurseattle]

Most people never know why their chickens die when they have no outward symptoms. Some people do necropsies on their birds--usually people who have had chickens for years. Your pullet was at the right age for cocci, and lethargy and poor appetite are some of the symptoms. She may not have had anything infectious, but I would be tempted to go ahead and treat the other pullet with Corid. Then I would look for another pullet to bring home for company because chickens do not do well alone.

I just checked on the other chicken, normal poops and behavior for the most part. She is running around crying slightly, though its understandable since she's so alone now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Many people think there has to be bloody poops, but from what I have heard, there are earlier signs. The blood comes later. Sorry that you lost her.

 

[iminyurseattle]

Thanks, I wish I had noticed the signs earlier so I could have helped her. I had started both ladies on medicated feed when I got them, but maybe it wasn't enough for this one's system to handle the exposure (I've had adult chickens in this coop before).

 

[seminolewind]

When they get to bright green poop, and die, it's not a sudden death. She's probably been wasting away for some time. It may go on for a few months. And they act normal. But at the end they are tired and nap alot . Lethargic. I would check your other hen by feeling her keel. Is it prominent? Or is there some fat around it?