Sudden death in 2 year old hen

[CHlCKEN]

I came out about thirty minutes ago to check on my birds only to find that one (my 2 year old Wyandotte hen called Valentine) had sadly passed away sometime last night. Now the temps here have been leveling out in the 90s and upper 80s and I’ve been doing my best to keep everyone cool by refilling their water as often as possible. However, even with my best efforts given, it’s normal and always expected for me to see them all sitting out in the shade, wings spread trying to keep cool on their own. That is why when I saw Valentine doing exactly that yesterday I wasn’t immediately worried and assumed it to be a bit of heat exhaustion. In addition to this observation I had spotted bumble foot on another hen and was reasonably more concerned by it and so focused on it instead. I went ahead and refilled their water again, as well as my ducks pond, and left.

When I came out here today I brought with me a couple of scraps (that isn’t something I give them regularly especially during the summer). Usually my chickens are giddy about my bringing snacks and their vocalized excitement entices any bird who might be in a nest box to come out and investigate. So when I acknowledged that their were only six of my seven chickens out of the coop I checked and found that Valentine had apparently fallen off the roost some time last night in her sleep. This was all very unexpected considering that two days ago she was perfectly fine.

Her symptoms from yesterday included, a slightly pale comb, lethargy, and a droopy tail. I should probably have paid closer attention to her but again my focus was on another hen with bumble foot. I want to assume that with these symptoms it was just her being egg bound or over heated but I can’t say for sure. Avian influenza is a fear that circles my mind but none of my other birds are presenting with symptoms.

 

[azygous]

So sorry about your hen. Only a necropsy will reveal her cause of death. It's possible she had heat stroke. Lethargy and often imbalance or trouble walking are symptoms. If you see any more chickens with such symptoms. treat immediately with electrolytes and added sugar.

 

[Shadrach]

I came out about thirty minutes ago to check on my birds only to find that one (my 2 year old Wyandotte hen called Valentine) had sadly passed away sometime last night. Now the temps here have been leveling out in the 90s and upper 80s and I’ve been doing my best to keep everyone cool by refilling their water as often as possible. However, even with my best efforts given, it’s normal and always expected for me to see them all sitting out in the shade, wings spread trying to keep cool on their own. That is why when I saw Valentine doing exactly that yesterday I wasn’t immediately worried and assumed it to be a bit of heat exhaustion. In addition to this observation I had spotted bumble foot on another hen and was reasonably more concerned by it and so focused on it instead. I went ahead and refilled their water again, as well as my ducks pond, and left.

When I came out here today I brought with me a couple of scraps (that isn’t something I give them regularly especially during the summer). Usually my chickens are giddy about my bringing snacks and their vocalized excitement entices any bird who might be in a nest box to come out and investigate. So when I acknowledged that their were only six of my seven chickens out of the coop I checked and found that Valentine had apparently fallen off the roost some time last night in her sleep. This was all very unexpected considering that two days ago she was perfectly fine.

Her symptoms from yesterday included, a slightly pale comb, lethargy, and a droopy tail. I should probably have paid closer attention to her but again my focus was on another hen with bumble foot. I want to assume that with these symptoms it was just her being egg bound or over heated but I can’t say for sure. Avian influenza is a fear that circles my mind but none of my other birds are presenting with symptoms.

Considering where chickens originate from where both temperature and humidity are high (80 F to 90 F) one might have thought that heat stroke wouldn't be a problem for most breeds.
However, their secret to coping with these temperatures is deep shade.
What do I mean by deep shade?
Essentially it's a canopy that deflects and filters direct sunlight with further protection below the canopy from foliage, bushes etc.
It works like this. The more layers that permit the movement of air between the layers the cooler the bottom layer will be.
Some chicken keepers in North Africa make thick clay domes with four opposed openings. Above this they build a frame that supports scrub and branches suspended above the clay dome. This allows any breeze to blow through the clay dome and between the top of the dome and the underside of the the supported brush.

Water will not keep chickens cool. It works with humans because we sweat, but chickens don't have sweat glands and can't remove heat through sweating.
It's all about shade for the chiicken.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I got some photos of her vent area, interestingly there were already ants around it but I’m not surprised by that considering that her fall landed her on top of an egg, which broke probably attracting more bugs to her. I noticed that she had some dried poop stuck to her vent feathers, but again, that’s not abnormal. She’s been prone to that her whole life and I have to clean her up every once and a while.

Spoiler: pictures of dead bird

 

[CHlCKEN]

Considering where chickens originate from where both temperature and humidity are high (80 F to 90 F) one might have thought that heat stroke wouldn't be a problem for most breeds.
However, their secret to coping with these temperatures is deep shade.
What do I mean by deep shade?
Essentially it's a canopy that deflects and filters direct sunlight with further protection below the canopy from foliage, bushes etc.
It works like this. The more layers that permit the movement of air between the layers the cooler the bottom layer will be.
Some chicken keepers in North Africa make thick clay domes with four opposed openings. Above this they build a frame that supports scrub and branches suspended above the clay dome. This allows any breeze to blow through the clay dome and between the top of the dome and the underside of the the supported brush.

Water will not keep chickens cool. It works with humans because we sweat, but chickens don't have sweat glands and can't remove heat through sweating.
It's all about shade for the chiicken.

Thanks for this. My chickens’ run is directly beneath a tree so they do get some shade but I would never consider it to be the greatest source of it. If you have any suggestions for creating shade I’d like to hear it.

Heatstroke has been my number one suspect but I’m still undecided on whether or not a necropsy is a good idea. Honestly, it just depends on how much that would cost.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks for this. My chickens’ run is directly beneath a tree so they do get some shade but I would never consider it to be the greatest source of it. If you have any suggestions for creating shade I’d like to hear it.

Heatstroke has been my number one suspect but I’m still undecided on whether or not a necropsy is a good idea. Honestly, it just depends on how much that would cost.

I have reservations about sending birds for necropsy.
If you have a small backyard mainly contained flock it's likely that all or most of the flock has already caught anything infectious before their keeper is aware there's a problem.
If it is one of the infectious diseases on the current hot list and your chickens have it you may find you have to destroy your flock.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

I don’t know what the cause was, though I’d assume heat.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I have reservations about sending birds for necropsy.
If you have a small backyard mainly contained flock it's likely that all or most of the flock has already caught anything infectious before their keeper is aware there's a problem.
If it is one of the infectious diseases on the current hot list and your chickens have it you may find you have to destroy your flock.

Yep, I’m aware of that part and frankly I don’t know that I could go through with it. I don’t feel that this could have been anything contagious, my birds are confined together and I wouldn’t think anything I could take her out as quickly as heatstroke might.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Yep, I’m aware of that part and frankly I don’t know that I could go through with it. I don’t feel that this could have been anything contagious, my birds are confined together and I wouldn’t think anything I could take her out as quickly as heatstroke might.

Yeah. Although HPAI can wipe them out extremely quickly, although I don’t think the symptoms are quite right.

 

[springvalley123]

I share the reservations (at least!) about sending away for a necropsy. In addition to drinking water, a trickling hose/puddle in the shade will help--birds will stand in the puddle and cool their feet, and this cools their bodies. I fill blue bunny ice cream containers up to the middle B with water and freeze--put them in a shallow pan with some water and the birds stand in that to cool off. Also, 2-liter soda bottles half-filled with water, the birds can lay next to these and cool off. Some people use low wading pools with big ice blocks which last for hours. You can also look up the article on how to keep the birds cool in extreme heat by either 3KillerBs or aart.

Sorry this happened to your hen.