Sad morning in Michigan

[JonB]

Lost our SLW this morning. She was fine and active yesterday, but dead this morning. I am so bummed. I know it's "just a chicken", but I don't care. She was one of my babies and I'm so mad at myself.

I don't know what happened for sure, as her body showed no signs of anything, aside from two things I could see:

1. drool coming from her bill and 2. her stomach feathers were kinda matted and there was a purplish looking bruise/mark on a bare spot.

I live in Michigan, and we still have waist-high snow. I let them come out and walk around yesterday, where it's beaten down from me going to and fro. They wandered over towards where we park, so I scuttled them back into their coop. The only thing I can think of, is she ate pine needles. I imagine they're toxic, and not sure how many were possibly consumed. I saw our BR trying to get some and grabbed her, but our SL went under my car and could've accessed some maybe.

Either way, I'm very disappointed in myself and very sad at the moment. I'm one of those who care deeply for any of my animals, losing one is tough. I feel like such an irresponsible, ignorant *******. If this is indeed what got her, then it's entirely my fault and I feel no matter what, there was no excuse for this. Thank you for reading/listening guys....Jon

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. A necropsy by your state vet would be the only way to know what was wrong for sure. You could also do one for the experience--there are many websites here on doing a necropsy with pictures of normal organs. How old was she, and was she laying eggs? I believe many chickens will have liquid coming out of the crop when they die, but an impacted crop should have been obvious when she died (large hard crop.) I have many pine trees in my chicken yard for shade, and mine don't appear to eat them. It is normal to lose one occasionally in your flock from an internal issue such as heart disease or live/kidney problems.