Sudden Chicken Death Syndrome?

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I'm glad I found this thread too! I came home today after being out for a while to find my SLW dead on her side. No point of injury or foul play. She was still a bit warm and had been acting normally. She even laid an egg this morning. Everyone else is happy as peach pie, so I'm not overly concerned. It's sad, but I hope she didn't suffer.

 

[Faraday40]

I'm glad I found this thread too! I came home today after being out for a while to find my SLW dead on her side. No point of injury or foul play. She was still a bit warm and had been acting normally. She even laid an egg this morning. Everyone else is happy as peach pie, so I'm not overly concerned. It's sad, but I hope she didn't suffer.

Sorry for your loss. That's what happened with mine. I kept a very close eye on the flock & had no other losses. Mine was a very large bird, so perhaps summer heat or heart attack.

 

[henhouse33]

I JUST 1 ,I STiLL HAVE 1. I AM LOOKING FOR 2 MORE.

 

[srosbury]

wow, happy to read I am not alone. two weeks ago I bought 10 babies. I now have 8. and prior to that I lost what seemed to be three healthy birds. I thought sure I was doing something wrong or missing something.

 

[JanPaulchicks]

It's good to hear of all your stories of chickens dying. I found our Rosie chicken in the nesting box this morning dead, it was very sudden as we had nursed her in the last year with being egg bound and then looking unwell. Yesterday she was fine and looking good, recovered all her feathers after our last cockerel had favoured her. He is no more about 2 months ago for various reasons.
Rosie chicken was our favourite and one of our granddaughters too.
:-(
So sudden... RIP Rosie

 

[Prairiewillow]

Well, not that I am happy that we all have this in common, but like several posts I have read, I glad to know that it is not unheard of... We had one of our Ethels disappear without a trace a couple months ago and then yesterday when locking up the coop for the night my husband found another one dead in a nesting box... I am still going to keep an eye on the rest of the girls and roos, but I have a feeling that this was a case of sudden death. (in case you wonder about the plural name, all my Barred Rock girls are all Ethel and my Rhode Island girls are all Gertrude)

 

[Hholly]

If I had any sudden deaths with no apparent predator damage or symptoms, I would treat the flock for coccidiosis with Corid.

 

[Faraday40]

Sorry about your losses, but I like your naming idea.

For me, I had 2 losses & both birds were less than a year old. Both were sudden, unexplained, & happened in the summer. The rest of the chickens were fine. With my young hen, I believe it had to do with her egg production. She had a small bit of her insides coming out. RIP Hope.


My beautiful roo was HUGE. Perhaps it was the heat. The pic below was taken less than 12 hrs before he died. I checked them at 9pm & he was sleeping on the roost. The following morning he was stiff on the ground. No blood or injuries. No prior symptoms. Rest of the flock was fine. RIP Biele Boy

 

[HaHaFarms]

I am absolutely blown away by these stories--this is exactly what happened to our Bella, our queen Jersey Giant, this morning! Happy, laying chicken, free ranges 6+ hours a day. My husband noticed something wrong--she was laying down in the run with her head to the side. By the time he got out there she bobbed her head a few times, fluttered her wings and died...it happened so fast there was nothing he could do. We are devastated!!!!

Once we are sure the other 2 are ok, we want to look for another one or two...any suggestions on good flock companions for Jersey Giants living in Minnesota?

 

[Faraday40]

I am absolutely blown away by these stories--this is exactly what happened to our Bella, our queen Jersey Giant, this morning! Happy, laying chicken, free ranges 6+ hours a day. My husband noticed something wrong--she was laying down in the run with her head to the side. By the time he got out there she bobbed her head a few times, fluttered her wings and died...it happened so fast there was nothing he could do. We are devastated!!!!

Once we are sure the other 2 are ok, we want to look for another one or two...any suggestions on good flock companions for Jersey Giants living in Minnesota?

So sorry to hear of your loss. You will definitely want to make sure your remaining girls are healthy (then follow with a quarantine of the newbies) before adding any birds.

Since your winters are cold & snowy, I'd recommend a good winter breed. Brahmas might be good, but I personally have never owned one. I enjoy my English Orpingtons & Bielefelders.. They're big & gentle. The roos can get frostbite though.

The other thing to consider is the time of year. Spring is a much easier time to add chicks, since you'll want them fully feathered before they go outside to the coop. Even adding adult hens can be challenging as they determine pecking order. When you feel you're ready to get more chicks or chickens, make sure you have a transition plan ready. For now, all you can do is take comfort in the chickens you have left.