:( sad night

[EZFarms]

Idk if this goes here but i didnt know where else :/
i went out to check on my chickens before bed and i came across a sad site.... one of our roosters was laying on the coop floor dead :/ its really sad. what could of killed him? there were no visible injuries or blood

 

[dawg53]

There's no telling what he died from. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Michael Apple]

I know how you feel. I'm sorry about your rooster. Sometimes there's a genetic problem and sometimes it is disease. I had a fine Dominique rooster who fell off his roost one night, shrieked in pain, and died almost immediately. He was fine that day, exhibiting no signs of disease.My guess was a heart attack at 2 years old. There are some strains of fowl cholera that can kill a bird quickly. If you suspect disease, or any of your other birds start dying like that, contact a local lab from this list and have a necropsy done:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/poultry/downloads/labs_app.pdf
Fees are usually none to very small for backyard flock owners.

 

[EZFarms]

i think i posted before about him. a few months back my dad found him in the pen barely moving/couldnt stand,etc. but within a day he was fine so idk. he was a polish (top hat) so im not really sure maybe just genetics?

 

[Michael Apple]

i think i posted before about him. a few months back my dad found him in the pen barely moving/couldnt stand,etc. but within a day he was fine so idk. he was a polish (top hat) so im not really sure maybe just genetics?

That remains a mystery. How did you acquire that rooster?

 

[EZFarms]

He was a hatchery chick

 

[Michael Apple]

He was a hatchery chick

That's a bit vague. Do you know which hatchery?

 

[EZFarms]

Sorry. efowl i believe is where i got him and the rest of my current flock

 

[Michael Apple]

Sorry. efowl i believe is where i got him and the rest of my current flock

I'm not familiar with that supplier, but I'd be careful based on what I've experienced from a few hatcheries I'll never do business with again. There are good and bad hatcheries. It is always wise to order from hatcheries close to the vicinity of your residence. The shipping stress of long distances can cause many problems in otherwise healthy birds. I've raised healthy chickens from Privett and I've also heard good things about stock coming out of Cackle. I see you are in Northern California like me, so if you ever need some advice or want to order chicks again, let me know.

 

[EZFarms]

We are planning on getting some from cackle but they are giving me a hard time