Sudden chicken death!

[AmyW]

One of my four hens just suddenly died within the past couple of days. I thought they were all find yesterday but did not check on them this morning. Hubby found the dead one behind the coop this morning. By the time I got home from work to dispose of her, she was already stinking and covered in bugs, so I can't tell if she was injured or what. (Sorry to be graphic, but I live in AZ and it is the hottest day of the year so far.) I am not sure, due to the heat, how long she has been dead... I suppose it could just be that it's so hot today, she started decomposing quickly. It's possible she died yesterday... I just can't tell.

My question is whether I need to be concerned about diseases. The others look fine. Other than noticing I haven't been getting many brown eggs lately, I had not noticed any problems. (I have 2 who lay brown eggs - the dead chicken laid brown eggs.)

What do I need to look for in the other chickens? Is there anything I should test them for? I have only had chickens for about a year and haven't had any problems other than that they seem to like to pluck each others' feathers out (improved when I started giving them more protein). I'm not sure what breed I have.

 

[Yknot]

Sorry about your hen. I don't think there are any tests to give them, I would just watch them closely for a while and act if any developed any sick symptoms. Have you checked them for parasites?

 

[AmyW]

Thanks, Yknot. I don't know how to test them for parasites. How do I do that?

 

[AmyW]

Oh, and after I looked up a few chicken breeds, I suspect that the dead chicken was a New Hampshire Red. I still have one living one that is the same, and the other two are white - probably Leghorns?

 

[Yknot]

Look around the vent for lice, mites and nits.

 

[AmyW]

Thanks, YKnot - I'll check 'em!