Silkie chickens.

[Mariee1230]

Just to start the day.... at 5:00 I heard my rooster cocking so I thought it maybe have been a predator, I went outside and nothing, look at my cam and nothing there. Then this morning I got there and one of my chicken was dead. It was apparently a natural dead. She was very slow and I know she was 6 years old. I’m not sure how long a silkie chicken live but I hope it was a natural cause and not any disease. Have you ever found a chicken dead without sign of disease?

 

[CindyinSD]

Yes. I've heard it called JCO disease (just crapped out). Basically there was no-doubt some cause, but hard to tell and not apparently infectious. Like people, chickens just die sometimes--heart attack, stroke, etc. You could cut her open and try to figure it out if you're curious/concerned, but at her age, if she wasn't showing any signs of transmissible disease, I would just dispose of the remains.

 

[CindyinSD]

Your state poultry dept. most likely provides autopsy services for a fee. You would have to refrigerate the body asap, though. Plus, I'm not sure they'd be operational for these services at present what with the pandemic concerns.