Sudden death - what happened?

[NonTypicalCPA]

Gathering eggs tonight I found our 1 year old Australop dead. She was fine this morning when the kids checked on them. I looked her over and couldn't see any obvious cause. With the warm weather yesterday we let our flock of 12 free range. Could she have eaten something that poisoned her? None of the other hens shows any sign of sickness. We feed the pellet food from tsc - could she have chocked on it? Do chickens have heart failure? This is our first sudden death and I'm looking for any ideas. Thanks.

 

[kdwag]

That's awful. I would be heartbroken. My vet told me a lot of times chickens are sick and you don't know it until you find them dead. I've heard others say they send their dead birds (not sure where they send them exactly) for autopsies when they want to know the cause of death. Good luck in your search for answers.

 

[da417]

I'm sorry for your loss. I also have experienced sudden death over the years. I never had a necropsy done I just felt there must have been something wrong internally maybe heart or something since there had been no previous signs and no other chickens were affected. If you have more than one within a close period of time I would be concerned.

 

[macdoogle2]

I gave my hens BOSS one morning. One of them started acting strange, coughing. Next thing she collapsed and I though she was dead. I scooped her up and shook her neck blowing in her face. She came too. I put her down and she started walking around as normal as ever. I really though she had died and I think she would have if I had not been there. Her eyes were closed and her neck was floppy. So, yes I think hens can choke. Also, if I had not witnessed the event I would never have known what she died off. I still give my hens BOSS and this has never happened since.

 

[kdwag]

Yikes, what is BOSS

 

[Eggsoteric]

BOSS is black-oil sunflower seeds.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

We had put some BOSS into the coop for scratching the night before. Could be it!