Rooster dies randomly, what's wrong?

[OrpieOwner]

I went out to let my chickens out so that they could play in their run. When I got there, I opened up the door and found my lavender Orpington rooster dead against the door. There were no signs of injury and he was perfectly normal the day before! What happened! Any ideas on how he died?

Best picture I could find from yesterday.

 

[seminolewind]

It's hard to know. When you find one dead it could be many different things. How old was he?

 

[OrpieOwner]

He was almost 29 weeks old, or 7 months 1 week.

 

[seminolewind]

When it's one chicken, it's much harder to tell. He may have had a heart attack, but he's so young. Could he have eaten something bad the day before?

 

[OrpieOwner]

I don't believe so. He didn't leave the coop all day because i had no time to let them free range. We had all of the normal food in the coop, nothing strange. Yesterday my rabbit died randomly too, which I find weird seeing how it was a day apart and they both were to young to die.

 

[seminolewind]

Have you or a neighbor laid poison for vermin? And they died in your yard or pen, and got eaten?

 

[OrpieOwner]

There was no chemical in the yard, and he died right inside the coop. There were no scratch or bite marks, no blood, no sign of injury at all.

 

[theoldchick]

I'm thinking a cardiac issue took your bird's life. Could be genetics or simply a random event. Sorry for your loss.

 

[OrpieOwner]

Thanks theoldchick. That is what I was thinking too.