Sudden Death?

[BettyR]

I went out to feed the chickens this morning and one of my 6-week-old Black Australorp pullets was dead and there’s not a mark on her?!? I even pulled feathers off looking for an injury and there wasn't one.

There was no sign of a break in and the rest of the 6-week-old chicks are fine. I haven’t been letting them out of the chicken house because they are still small enough to be easily taken by a hawk so there is no chance that she could have come into contact with something toxic.

I’ve seen no sigh of any illness in the group and all was well last night when I checked on them right before dark. Does anyone know what would cause a seemingly healthy chick to just drop dead?

 

[BettyR]

I went to check on my babies a little while ago and I noticed that they have been pecking the bag that their feed is in and the dead bird was behind the bag when I found it. I’m wondering if she could have pulled a piece of paper off the bag and choked on it…does this sound feasible? They have never touched their feed bag before but I guess they are getting older and more curious about their surroundings.

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up some sort of explanation for her death and I’m afraid this is the best I can do.

In any case I moved the bag of feed out of their reach and I will get a large lidded container to hold their feed tomorrow; I should have already done that but I just can’t seem to remember to get one when I go into town.

 

[tiffanyh]

I guess it is possiby, but IMO not likely--but a lot of times you never know.

Sorry.....

 

[midget_farms]

As I told my daughter before we started this chicken experiment "chickens just die". Sometimes they just don't make it.

It could have been anything from an illness (birds don't always show symptoms before they die), it could have choked as you say. Was there much air behind the sack of feed? I've proven they can easily suffocate even when you think they shouldn't.

There also could have been some issue hanging around since before she hatched.

Unfortunately that is how it goes sometimes.