Sudden death

[AzRooster]

Found one of my Buff Orpington hens dead tonight

. She was in the dirt hole that they and the dog love to dig and lay in to get cool. They are almost 6 months old and are reallying starting to lay. I dont even think all of them are quite laying yet even. No marks, loss of feathers or anything. I seen them out and about the yard 3 hours earlier and no signs of any problems. Could it be a internal injury like a prolapsed egg or something like that killed her?? Didnt have the heart to tear her up to see why. Figured she ate something bad or even thought the dog layed on her in the hole and smothered her but I really have no clue. The dog(chocolate lab) believe it or not shows no interest what so ever in the chickens, so I dont even consider her the problem. Any ideas

?? thanks

 

[Judy]

Sometimes they die suddenly when they are around point of lay because of an internal problem with the egg laying equipment, or even a congenital heart problem, because the stress of laying is more than the heart can take. Since it was so sudden, I would tend to doubt it was anything like a poison or condition that you might have been able to control; I would tend to assume it was heart, or another internal sudden disaster.

Wonderful that your dog does so well around the chickens! If you never see one get caught under her, and she never tries to play with them or grab at them, I don't think I would worry about this, either. Do keep an eye out, though. Dogs have been known to do things like this who had been around chickens for months safely. (My dogs move freely among my chickens, too.)

Sorry this happened to you. Sometimes we will never know.