Sudden unexplained death of hen! I'm sad and baffled. :(

[nelleschickfarm]

We're so utterly confused. Saw my four hens at 9 am to fill their water bowl and feeder. All seemed well. Our white/black brahma, Silver, jumped back in the coop to lay an egg. I went back inside my house, came back out to check on the chickens at about 12:30 or 1pm and Silver was dead. On her back, feet up, wings spread out. Not an ounce of blood, no trauma. Our chicken run is very secure, so I knew it wasn't a predator, but I checked her all over. Her wattle had gone very pale, her eyes white and glassy. What on earth could have happened?! Should I be worried about my three remaining chickens? I'm so sad for poor Silver, but I didn't notice anything sickly about her at all.

 

[Johnn]

We're so utterly confused. Saw my four hens at 9 am to fill their water bowl and feeder. All seemed well. Our white/black brahma, Silver, jumped back in the coop to lay an egg. I went back inside my house, came back out to check on the chickens at about 12:30 or 1pm and Silver was dead. On her back, feet up, wings spread out. Not an ounce of blood, no trauma. Our chicken run is very secure, so I knew it wasn't a predator, but I checked her all over. Her wattle had gone very pale, her eyes white and glassy. What on earth could have happened?! Should I be worried about my three remaining chickens? I'm so sad for poor Silver, but I didn't notice anything sickly about her at all.

I sort of had something similar, i found My Welsummer lieng flat on her back in the field and she had a pale comb and i seen her in the morning and she was fine :/. Sorry for your loss

 

[Jarrett Dobbins]

We're so utterly confused. Saw my four hens at 9 am to fill their water bowl and feeder. All seemed well. Our white/black brahma, Silver, jumped back in the coop to lay an egg. I went back inside my house, came back out to check on the chickens at about 12:30 or 1pm and Silver was dead. On her back, feet up, wings spread out. Not an ounce of blood, no trauma. Our chicken run is very secure, so I knew it wasn't a predator, but I checked her all over. Her wattle had gone very pale, her eyes white and glassy. What on earth could have happened?! Should I be worried about my three remaining chickens? I'm so sad for poor Silver, but I didn't notice anything sickly about her at all.

How old was Silver? If she was an older bird it may have been caused by old age and it may have been her time to go. I walked into my coop one morning to find one of my favorite hens, Sassy, dead on the floor. She was about 4-5 years old so it was just her time to go. Other than that, I don't know.

 

[nelleschickfarm]

Yes, that's what's more of a mystery, she's not even one yet. She's very young. So strange. Thank you for your help. Sorry about Sassy.

 

[Jarrett Dobbins]

Hmm.. sounds strange to me, but then again, I'm not really an expert on why chickens die, just how to raise them

edited by staff