We lost another one today...

[Soujrnr]

Sadly, one of our girls died in the night. She was sitting in one of the nests apparently getting ready to lay an egg. We found her there dead this morning. There was nothing visibly wrong with her, and I didn't detect any "fowl" play by predators either. She was one of our favorites, too. Her name was Lulu. We are now down to seven girls. We'll get more, but it's winter now, so we don't want to introduce any new ones until spring. I hate losing any of them. I guess I'm a big softie. It was cold last night, but not nearly as cold as others who don't heat their coops. I did put up wind barriers around the entire nesting area, so they aren't in any wind or drafts, and they have plenty of shavings as well. The other girls are all healthy and happy, so I don't suspect any kind of virus or illness that might be spreading.I don't think she was even three years old yet. Such is life.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Sadly, one of our girls died in the night. She was sitting in one of the nests apparently getting ready to lay an egg. We found her there dead this morning. There was nothing visibly wrong with her, and I didn't detect any "fowl" play by predators either. She was one of our favorites, too. Her name was Lulu. We are now down to seven girls. We'll get more, but it's winter now, so we don't want to introduce any new ones until spring. I hate losing any of them. I guess I'm a big softie. It was cold last night, but not nearly as cold as others who don't heat their coops. I did put up wind barriers around the entire nesting area, so they aren't in any wind or drafts, and they have plenty of shavings as well. The other girls are all healthy and happy, so I don't suspect any kind of virus or illness that might be spreading.I don't think she was even three years old yet. Such is life.

So sorry to hear! I hate losing fellow flock members too. Maybe she was egg bound?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Sometimes chickens will take to a nest box if they are sick. The best way to find out what was wrong is to either do a home necropsy to look at her organs, or to have your state poultry vet do a necropsy if you keep the body cold, not frozen. It may be too late for that, but if you lose another sometime, that is what I would do.