Sometimes they just die?

[Dailypix]

We lost our first chicken due to mysterious circumstances last night. I found it dead under the perch. No sign of predators. Plenty of food and water. Laying normally up to then. The other chickens seem healthy. It was just over a year old. Survived the northern Ontario winter. Not sure what killed it. I hope the flock don’t get sick. Sometimes they just die???

 

[RooandherRooster]

I'm sorry about your loss, I'm not sure what would have made her die randomly like that. Maybe something inside of her, like with her organs or something...

 

[lalady59]

I wish more input had been written on this because I've experienced a mysterious death or two and would have loved to read some possibilities

 

[Mtnboomer]

Literally could be anything. Chickens like most animals, hide injuries and illnesses well as a survival instinct.
I highly recommend having a necropsy performed by a veterinary pathologist to determine actual cause of death. If it is infectious, perhaps you can take precautions to reduce the chance of it spreading to the rest of the flock.

I have had 2 birds that otherwise appeared healthy when they went to bed and I found them dead in the morning. One died of heart failure due to chronic heart disease. The other was from mareks disease. Unfortunately, mareks is highly contagious and once in your flock it will forever be in your flock and every bird will have it. This doesn't mean that they will be symptomatic.
Not saying these are your issues.

 

[Dailypix]

Thanks for the replies. A little late for an autopsy. She is now pushing up daffodils. The remaining 4 hens and rooster seem fine.