rooster/hen dies randomly

[sawmane1]

I had a chicken who would crow and had spurs, but it looked like a hen and layed eggs. earlier that morning I found it dead in the nest box with no sighns of injury or sickness. it couldn't have been a preditor atack (it was laying in the nest box) and t wasn't acting sick at all. So it came to a shock to me that it would be found dead. Could it have possably broken an egg inside of itself, or died of natural causes? i am really at a loss. any input would be greatly apreciated.

thanks,
sawmane1

 

[Judy]

It does sound like natural causes. A broken egg, though, would usually result in a sick chicken for some days. It could have been a cancer, heart or liver disease -- lots of things.

 

[mrkep]

I too had a chicken die from unknown cause. After some discussion here, a poster ( his handle was old guy with chickens , or something ) said that after many years with chickens, he had learned that the 2 things they do best are poop and die. Apparently some chickens just lay down and never get up again. Not very informative, but a possibly comforting thought that it was not due to some mistake on my part.

 

[chloezoebob101]

how old was he/ she?