Sudden hen death???

[lcountry]

I had a two year old leghorn hen. She was in the coop with other hens of similar age. She was just in the middle of the hierarchy. One of the leghorns had been broody about a week before, and I think she is the one who had been broody.

I walked past the coop and all hens were up and about. Everything appeared normal. I fed the horses and went over to feed "the girls". Got their pellets out and all looked fine. Went back to the barn (15 feet) and came to get the waterers. She was laying down and not looking good. At that point, went to the house (20 yards away), asked my daughter to get a small crate and went right back out - not gone more than a minute. When I got back she was dead. Crop was normal. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with her physically - she was clean, no injuries, nothing... By appearances, she went from normal to dead within 5 minutes.

It was in the morning so it wasn't hot. Weather had been up and down (warmer/cooler) for the past few days. But, no temperature extremes.

Any ideas?

 

[Judy]

So sorry. One would think something internal, a tumor, heart attack, something of the sort. I think they usually look sick a while when it is from being eggbound or an internal layer.

 

[Mrs.Puff]

I also have a friend who has had a couple hens die suddenly.... Nothing appears to be wrong, then dead.

 

[lcountry]

I wondered if it could be a heart attack or something similar. I just couldn't think of anything that would cause such a sudden death. Just wanting to make sure that I hadn't missed something that they needed or that could help.

 

[Crystalchic]

are you sure that she is a leghorn and that she was actually broody
i have leg horns and never ever had one go broody
leghorns are not known to go broody

 

[chickenbottom]

what was her weight?

 

[lcountry]

I'm as sure as possible that she was a leghorn. Came from Ideal. Solid white, leaner build than my orpies, good layer - white, large eggs, yellow legs.

She and an orpie went broody at the same time. She'd made a "nest", sat on the eggs that were laid. She's fluff up and fuss at you if you were messing with the nest. Seemed broody to me, but I WAS surprised at a leghorn going broody - I'd never heard of it. Maybe I'm "out there", but after she died I thought maybe she somehow sensed that she wasn't doing well and that's why she was trying to brood. You know...carry on the line.

I'm not sure of the weight, but she wasn't skinny and was basically exactly the same weight as the other leghorn. I really checked her over before I buried her. Don't see any clues there.

 

[chickenbottom]

mmk if her weight was fine then it had to be internally

 

[Crystalchic]

there is a guy here his name is leghorn dude he often goes into the byc chat
he is very knowledgeable when it comes to leghorns
you should try to contact him
he has spent many long conversations with me a well as viewing videos of sick chicks and chickens that i had
try to contact him
he is very kind and loving, as well as understanding our love and concern for our chickens