Seemingly heathly chicken died in 12 hours

[Cline Chicks]

So I am new to raising chickens, and just lost my Rhode Island Red. She seemed fine in the morning but was laying in the hen house that evening when we went to collect eggs. She would not stand and was closing her eyes. I tried to give her some sugar water, which she accepted, but she had passed when I went to check on her 20 minutes later. Any ideas? I am a bit concerned for my other birds. They are all acting fine, though my Ameraucana is losing feathers on her face and lower neck. She is a year old so she could easily be molting as it is warming up quickly here in CO, but I don't want to lose her, too. I have not yet wormed my birds so I am thinking I should probably do that. They are all about 10 months to a year. Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[JJSS89]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Sorry it was the death of a hen that led you here.

Describe the following:

1) Her conditioning (weight, the way her breast felt - was the keel bone protruding?)
2) Color of her comb before death, was she pale?
3) Was her fecal matter unusual prior to death?
4) Her age
5) Was she laying prior to death?
6) What are you feeding them?


Your other bird is probably molting.

 

[Cline Chicks]

I can honestly say that I have not weighed my chickens. I guess I should for reference, but she did not feel as though she had lost weight and no bones were protruding. She was a little over a year old and we had been having issues with her laying inconsistently for the last couple months. No unusual fecal matter in the coop or hen house. I examined it all in several places this morning, and no worms, and it all looked pretty normal - maybe a little runnier than normal in a couple spots, but nothing super out of the ordinary. Her comb seemed normal, though I feel like my Ameracauna's comb is a bit drier than normal.

Food-wise - they get Layena pellets for the most part and veggie and fruit scraps. Not sure if there are any I should avoid. They also get a little scratch once or twice a week.

 

[JJSS89]

Sounds like she was at a healthy weight so wasting from worms is unlikely. At that age it is unlikely anyway because it usually takes birds to live longer before they'll die of infestation.

There are too many possibilities that I really cannot make a reasonable guess. Monitor the others.