We lost our first hen :(

[Moxiechick]

We found our Buff Orpington hen, Maple, dead this morning.

We just got back from a 5 day trip late last night, and discovered her this morning, just outside one of the nest boxes inside the coop. We had someone over to check on them every day & to collect eggs. She has done this before for us, and she does a good job, so we don't think it is anything she did. From the notes she left us, everything seemed fine. She did bring some extra veggies and fruit from home to give as treats, but she did this last time as well, and everyone was fine.

Maple had been broody for about a week and a half. She would sit on her wooden egg, guarding it (and any others that got laid in the box when she left for her daily constitutional.) She would get up at least once a day, to eat, drink, peck and scratch around with the others and seemed healthy and happy. I checked her body over for lice and found none, and plan on checking everyone else this evening when they go to roost. DP did find a mass of some sort in the nest box, but she threw it out before I got a chance to inspect it. She described it as having little yellow things in it. She thought it looked like corn, but is not sure. I don't know if the petsitter feed them corn or not. I'm also wondering whether the little yellow blobs could have been undeveloped eggs that she was holding/passed, which may be related to her death.

I'm so sad about her loss. Who would think a chicken could break your heart?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so sorry you had to come home to find your hen had died,

 

[chickensioux]

Unfortunately without a necropsy you may never know what happened. Whenever I have one die, unexpectedly, without any outward signs, I have one done for peace of mind. Alot of folks don't have the luxury of a local diagnostic lab or vet that performs these. Sometimes chickens die from things way out of our control. I hope you do figure out what happened and I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Kassaundra]

Sorry it is hard.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[Moxiechick]

Thanks for the condolences. I went out and checked for mites, and found none. I looked at their bellies, vents, legs and under the wings and all looked clean. I also wiped a paper towel under the roost, and nada. We've already got her wrapped up and in the freezer, to await the snow to melt and the ground to thaw for burial. We would have taken her to the vet at the first sign of being ill, but since she is already dead, we decided against a necropsy. We will be keeping a close eye on the rest of the girls.

I'm just wondering on the possibility of her being egg bound if she was broody? I thought broody hens stopped laying? She had every sign of being broody, rather than just hanging out in the nest box because she felt ill.