Why did she die?

[Siler]

I am new to the chicken thing. It's been a year since we first got our chicks. We have 3 Gold Laced Wyandottes, 3 Black Austrolorps, and 4 Sexlinks. We feed them morning and night and during the day they are free to roam wherever they wish all around the house unfenced. We don't have any neighbors close by but my husband does work part time at a local feed supply store that sells chicks. Friday we had a cold front come in and the temps dropped 30 degrees overnight. Saturday we had to go somewhere so we couldn't let the girls out. I fed them in the morning and everyone was on the ground eager to eat. Last night hubs fed them so I don't know their behavior last night. This morning I brought out food and everyone but one of the Wyandottes was on the ground at my feet. I fed everyone then looked up and one of the Wyandottes was dead. She was on a flat roof of a smaller coop inside used when they were babies and it's still in there. They like to roost on it. She was sitting with her head slumped over the side. She was only slightly rigor. I'm unfamiliar with how long it takes a chicken to become fully rigor but she was only partially.

So my question is what might have happened? I want to prevent losing another. I've looked around for ideas but I don't know where to begin. For a while I've wondered if they have any parasites. How would I check? I have access to a microscope. What must I buy and from where to test a smear? Are there directions that someone here uses to get me started? I would lose a lot of eggs if I treated them without knowing for sure. I've read here that if they fall asleep during the day they might have parasites. Is this true? Mine will find a cozy place and sit down and sleep around 5pm. They're begging for more and more food during the day like they're starving. Are they just spoiled because I'll give them food if they come begging. I'm that easy. They do seem a bit lighter, but all their combs are bright red.

Are there any sure links to read up on keeping perfect health? To prevent parasites, to treat parasites, how to tell if a hen is egg-bound, etc. Is there a book I *must* go buy? I'll do anything to prevent losing another. This has been the worst morning in 10 years since my husband's grandmother called her family to come to her house to sit with her while she passed away. I think I reacted better when I found my cat of 16 years dead on the kitchen floor(which is where grandma died...it's that house). So I'll do whatever I need to prevent another. When it's their time then that's different, but this was not her time.

 

[savingdogs]

I'm sorry for your loss, Siler. I'm new to chickens as well so I don't know what exactly happened, and even an expert or a veterinarian probably cannot tell you exactly what happened unless you had the body examined, but that would be quite expensive. You can probably find a veterinary clinic that would do an examination of some of the fecal matter in your chickens and let you know what you have there as far as parasites.

If it were me I would probably worm them with a good all purpose wormer as the cost of veterinary services would equal the cost of quite a few eggs.

I'm sure someone with a microscope will chime in here shortly and let us all know what to look for if you were to do a fecal examination yourself, but they are not hard to do, you just have to know what things plague the animal type you are examining and what is the normal amount you would see. In order to die of parasites, you would expect to see a pretty heavy load.

Hope that helps.

 

[Siler]

All help is appreciated savingdogs. I hope this helps others as well in the process.

Another question is what do I do with the remains? I wrapped her up in a trash bag and she's in a trash can until hubs comes home, but should I bury her instead? What is the proper disposal?

 

[chickensioux]

I am so sorry for your loss. There are so many things that can go wrong and without a necropsy I'm afraid you will never know for sure. I have had them die unexpectedly also and (with a necropsy) have found cancer or ruptured tumors. I always get a necropsy when one has passed away with no visible symptoms. I want to know if there was something going on I caused or could have prevented. Alot of the times they die and there is nothing you could have done to prevent it. Again sorry for your loss.

 

[Siler]

Quote:
What do you typically pay for a necropsy if I may ask? Who does it for you?

 

[chickensioux]

Fortunately I have a Veterinary Diagnostic Lab near here. I have paid as little as $5 but this year I was charged $30. Still, not a bad price for peace of mind.

 

[OrpingtonHopeful]

I had the exact same thing happen just a couple weeks ago with one of my buff orpingtons-

I use food grade DE in their bedding to prevent mites and always have since they were in their big girl coop- I had never wormed so I am in the process of that now-I give organic lowfat yougurt with non-iron baby vits, garden extras, etc as treats- They have free choice oyster shell. They are kept in an enclosed run attached to a generous size coop for the few we have-

My gal had no symptoms either- I came running to this forum for help- I felt the same- devestated and willing to do anything to sve the others from some unknown disease. Some speculated that it could be fatty liver disease, being egg bound, all sorts of things- Which was really helpful to consider (I am so happy to have this board)- None of it was anything I really could have done much about given lack of symptoms to dead in no time-

That in itself was freeing to know- That you can do everything right, or as right as you can, and you will lose a chicken every now and again- despite your best efforts.

So now I am a bit hypervigilant- Checking all my gals frequently. Worming them as a just in case. Giving lean treats like greens and strawberries (don't want to fatten them and increase risk of egg binding/fatty liver)

I hope you feel some comfort in knowing you are doing a great job carrying for them and that they are super lucky to have you, no matter how long they live.

I hope you feel better soon and enjoy all the chickens you do have!

 

[savingdogs]

That sounds reasonable! Where I worked they charged 75.00 for those services. However it was on larger animals. Quite a bit of thought goes into a proclamation such as cause of death from a veterinary standpoint, so it is time consuming for them and typically the animals body is also closed up and sutured when they are done. I'd look for an avian specialist in your area if you are going to pay for something like that.

The cost of having a fecal examination done is relatively inexpensive, so if you just wanted to rule out parasites, that should be quite affordable. If you were lucky they might show you what they found under the microscope (if you ask) so you could later look for these things yourself. Where I work there are color diagram charts that hang on the wall to help with easy identification of typical parasites found in companion animals. An avian veterinary specialist would probably have a better perspective on what plagues poultry, so again, I'd find someone who specializes in avian/exotics or a barnyard animal specialist and the cost of fecal examination might be well worth what you spend. If you could get a good five minute look at the charts on THEIR walls, I bet you'd know just what to look for with your equipment. Some veterinarians are more into teaching people how to do things themselves than others.

Hopefully my post will give you a bump and someone with some scientific training here will chime in soon. I'd like to see links to diagrams, etc. myself as I work for a vet but they don't see poultry.

 

[rstampa]

I lost my Silver Laced Wyandottes when she was 4 months old. She was fine in the morning and she ate and drank her water. When I let them out to free range she was the first one out. By 3PM she was laying in the corning dying. She died on my arms. I was so upset and was afraid something got to her or got sink. But nothing. I've learned that sometimes they just die for no apparent reason.
So Very Sorry for your loss. I know how heartbreaking it is.

 

[HenNewbie]

So sorry about your chick. I just lost one yesterday too. She was just barely one year old. When I checked them at 9am fine... no signs or symptoms to alarm me and two hours later she was dead. When my husband picked her up, she was still warm. Mystifyied. Naturally, I'm extremely worried and keep checking my coop and the other girls. So sad, they are kind of like kids.... you nuture, protect as best you can, check milestones, exude pride with their egg production and then something unknown takes one - bless their little heart. I will keep watching the replies here to hopefully also learn how to prevent another loss.

Sorry I have no words of wisdom to pass along....