Hen suddenly died today.

archeraddict | 17:53 Thu 02nd Jun 2011 | Animals & Nature

19 Answers

My favourite pet chicken(Diana) has suddenly died. She seemed fine this morning and laid an egg. I have been around all day and not aware of any problems, but I saw her at about 5pm and she was huddled in a corner, all puffed up and not moving. I picked her up (she was very friendly and would sit on my finger to be carried around) but she was clearly nearly dead, as her head was just spasming around. I put her in a box with straw, but she was dead.
Any ideas as to what could have caused this? She was about 2 years old and nothing has been changed in her routine. She seemed so happy, well and in good condition.

crosswords

My Chick has alot of blood in its pooh?

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dotty.

shock most likely, did a fox pass near the run?

archeraddict

Question Author

No nothing like that. It has been a warm day but she had plenty of water as usual and her coop is up on a table so that there is shade underneath plus she had access to an enclosed area of about 12' x 20'. I feel so upset and hope it's not anything I could have avoided.

rowanwitch

Is there any old painted wood near her...lead in paint can produce neurological symptoms in animals/birds and hens will pretty much peck at anything

carmalee

I googled- causes of sudden death in chickens - and came up with a number of forums and sites you may find helpful

archeraddict

Question Author

No, nothing painted or treated. Nothing different at all. Very odd.

archeraddict

Question Author

Thanks, I'll have a look.

Rodge2

So sorry.

archeraddict

Question Author

Thanks.

mrs.chappie

So sorry to hear about the poor chuck. :o(

lovequiz

so sorry to hear about it

wildwood

Sorry, but it happens. You can take condolence in that she laid an egg this morning so it is not likely something that you've done wrong.

Domestic chickens lay eggs that are much bigger than they are designed to do. Their wild ancestor, the jungle fowl, lays eggs the size of a pheasant. The oviduct of a chicken is almost constantly 'ripe' to lay eggs whereas in the wild this would only happen once or twice per year. This constant swollen organ is prone to mishaps and is a frequent cause of sudden death.

It could ofcourse be many things but a sickness or poisening is likely to take a few days to cause death. A sick chicken doesn't lay eggs.

slinkycat

You have my sympathy Archer, exactly the same thing happened to one of my hens a few weeks ago. Like yours, she had laid an egg that morning and seemed fine. Later on she looked off colour, then suddenly keeled over, twitched and died.
She was 3 years old, and the only one of five hens to survive a fox attack a year ago. Thought she was a tough old thing after going through that,and expected her to live for ages, but obviously I was wrong:-(

archeraddict

Question Author

Thanks for all your kind words and thoughts. I can't believe what a a sense of loss I feel! I have a small holding (can't live there sadly) and she was just so friendly and such a personality. Never had chickens before and got her with another hen and a cockerel almost exactly 2 years ago.

Her companions were Charles and Camilla(!), but Camilla almost killed Diana last year as she had literally pecked a hole in Diana's back about 3 inches round and very deep. We have had to keep them separate since then and it took a while to get her right but she healed really well and became even more friendly, after we had to handle her so much to heal the wound. Like you Slinky, in that she had got over that, I thought she must be so tough and would live to a ripe old age.

I am on holiday this week and, even though I've got 4 horses, 4 pigs (not for meat) and the other 2 fowl, it seemed so quiet and empty on the land :(

mrs.chappie

I think I understand how you feel, archer. I used to take on rescued birds, including lots of budgies, and it was horrible when they passed away. They were such lovely little birds. Folk used to say, "they're only budgies".....but they meant an awful lot to me.

Sorry to hear of your loss too, slinky. :o(

mdenning

so sorry to hear about your hen - I too used to rescue birds of all shapes and sizes and would be deeply upset if they died - I think people who say "it is only a....." are unfeeling people who can be very hurtful. We lost our cat a big black persian - he was let out by accident and run over by a car. My husband's sister and husband were visiting from Australia and couldn't understand my deep grief - I held onto him for two hours before my husband had to prize him away and bury him - they just said "he was only a cat" can you believe it !!