Seemingly healthy chicken just dropped dead :-(

[chloemama]

HI all-
I hardly ever post as I find answers searching, and my flock has been pretty darn healthy.
My flock usually free ranges in my yard or is in there huge pen. I have a mix of 7 hens and a nasty Welsumer rooster.

This summer I lost a hen to what I figured out later was egg bound. So much to the dismay of my hens I have been checking then regularly - their production has gone way down but some are molting and this is the time of yr where they give me about 1/2 the eggs they use to.

So, last night I go out to the coop, count all the hens - everyone is fine - chattering etc. This morning I wake up and my silver laced wyandotte was dead!! She was just fine - no signs of stress or anything yesterday. I can't imagine that she got into anything she shouldn't have ( they all hung around my husband as he was chopping wood and throwing them bugs )

Any ideas? I keep there coop clean, use DE in their boxes and have it mixed in the shavings in their coop. I haven't changed up anything. I also, just checked them for egg block the other day.


Thank you for any help!

 

[Judy]

Maybe this will help

http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/diseases_poultry_diagnosis_symptoms.pdf

Scroll down to the bottom of page 8.

 

[chloemama]

Thank you very much I will read through all of it.

I did check everyone today, all vents are clean/clear. Voices are loud and strong Coloring of combs is great, they do have plenty of fresh water available in different spots.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Thank you very much I will read through all of it.

I did check everyone today, all vents are clean/clear. Voices are loud and strong Coloring of combs is great, they do have plenty of fresh water available in different spots.

Sorry for your loss, and the frustration of not knowing the cause, and the fear that this sorta thing brings. But, you sound like you're really keepin' a close eye on a well-managed flock, so I'm jumpin' to the conclusion that this is an event related to some genetic flaw ... we all hear of the tragic events that occur within the human race, but rarely does anybody determine that a chicken had something major go wrong within. But, surely, it happens to some small percentage of all living creatures. Sadly, your Wyandotte mighta been among them.

And, as to nasty roosters? They do the best job of keepin' flocks safe, and close to home. And, when else fails? They taste pretty good ~'-)