Sudden Chicken Death Syndrome?

[kmerkley01]

One of our BO girls died on Christmas Eve. My brother had gone out to the coop with his kids and all the birds were fine. 20 Minutes later, my son went out to check for eggs and found Buffy dead in the shavings under one of the hanging feeders. It looked like she had just lay down and died. There was no obvious signs of illness or injury. Poor girl. She was hatched in the beginning of April and had been laying eggs regularly. She had even laid an egg that morning. She lived a good life and was spoiled for the time we had her. We will miss her.

 

[bobbieschicks]

We returned from Christmas trip to find our 10 week old Silkie Rokk lying dead under the coop. The chicken sitter said all the chicks were fine in the morning. Rest in peace Rokk, you are missed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/97463_copy_of_fun_pics_12_20_2011_009.jpg

 

[One of the girls]

Have done a little reading on threads covering inbreeding and line breeding.

Any thoughts on the possibility that some of these sudden deaths, in apparently perfectly healthy birds, may be due to internal defects? My thought is that too much inbreeding and close breeding possibly creates birds with heart problems, valve problems, aneurysms of major arteries, etc, etc. Since these are hidden defects would breeders continue making the same crosses over and over?

Anyone aware of any studies or situations such as the above?

 

[chicksrule123]

Today I woke up to finding one of my girls dead. Last nite was new years and the fireworks were loud. I was wondering if the noise could have gave her a heart attack

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
So sorry for your loss - the noise could have scared her. We had someone firing off fireworks near us last night too. It was very loud.

 

[Farmergyrl23]

I went to the barn this morning and found Charlie, my 5 month old Rhode Island Red Rooster lying in the corner of the coop

Last night he was fine, running around, eating normal. There were no signs of blood, injuries, etc. It's horrible not knowing what happened to him, my other chickens seem to be okay. Not sure what happened and it's very sad!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Another sudden loss. Yesterday Bandit seemed fine in the morning. She came over to eat the table scraps like everyone else. She laid an egg Friday but not yet on Saturday. I went out to check on the chicks later and noticed she was under the coop very still. That's when I realized she was dead. Just 22 weeks old and only laid 5 green eggs. Rest in peace my sweet Bandit.

 

[gmendoza]

Had one die early this morning it seems. I saw her yesterday with the rest of the flock and this morning, Pretty was dead. streched out and stiff as a board.

This has happened with Gruesomes sister Twosome. My wife went into the first coop about a year ago and twosome was still on the ground.She bent down to wake Twosome up to come out of the coop but she was stiff as a board.

This also happened to Flats (dcb) Mother. I left for only 15 minutes and she was fine,came back from the feed store and she was gone. Feet up in the coop.

For two years it seems that SCDS is the only thing killing my flock.I guess im ok with it,but its a bit puzzeling to have happen.

 

[gmendoza]

Had one die early this morning it seems. I saw her yesterday with the rest of the flock and this morning, Pretty was dead. streched out and stiff as a board.

This has happened with Gruesomes sister Twosome. My wife went into the first coop about a year ago and twosome was still on the ground.She bent down to wake Twosome up to come out of the coop but she was stiff as a board.

This also happened to Flats (dcb) Mother. I left for only 15 minutes and she was fine,came back from the feed store and she was gone. Feet up in the coop.

For two years it seems that SCDS is the only thing killing my flock.I guess im ok with it,but its a bit puzzeling to have happen.


R.I.P. PRETTY

 

[Rita Margarita]

I'm so sad tonight we lost Lola Bell our Buff Orfington hen - she was almost 11 months old, beautiful and big and had a lovely red comb. She was so healthy and happy and then my son let them out of the coop after school and she was a little slow, by dinner time when I checked on them a few hours later she was sitting near our house and gone. How can a seemingly healthy hen just die suddenly and unexpectedly like this?

She wasn't egg bound and had even laid one this morning, her crop was fine, no wounds...

We take SUCH good care of them making sure their coop is fun and clean, always have clean water and feed. I'm terrified one of my other three are going to drop dead tonight and keep running out to check on them...

I loved that bird - she would follow me around the yard and her favorite treat was oatmeal. She laid the best brown eggs, I'm so sad ;(