[Hawkins]

My buff orpington princess buffy big bum has just had a heart attack and died in the vets waiting room. We have no idea what was wrong with her there were no symptoms. She was fine yesterday laid an egg and was happy scratching about. She was fine at 6:30 this morning when she was let out and then when I went to clean them out at 9am she was just sat there very weak unable to stand and dribbling from her mouth we rushed her straight to the vets and she just died there and then.

Anybody got any ideas. I have ordered a post mortem which is being done this afternoon but wondered if anyone else has had any similar incidents.

she was 5 months old and was in quarantine for 3 weeks before meeting the other girls.

To say im in shock is an understatement. I cant believe it. I looked for her for ages and am gutted.

[Jeanette]

I am so sorry. Chickens can have heart attacks just like we can it has happened to one of mine so i understand how upseting it is for you. I am sending ((((hugs)))).

[jamima]

I am so sorry to hear your news.

[Celtic Eagle]

Sorry to hear the bad news Hawkins. Chances are she had a heart attack, happened to one of my mates birds last week. Fine in the morning that lunch time she was gone. 

[chuckmad]

So sorry hawkins, sending you lots and lots of hugs.

[Maeve]

Very sorry to read your news.  I have lost two chickens so I have some idea of how you must feel.  One was ill for months; the other died suddenly after I had her for three weeks.  I still miss them both.  Hope you find out what went wrong.  Maeve

[joyfull]

Em, I lost one of my appenzellars a few weeks ago to what looks like might have been a heart attack - she was sat in the nest box and just looked like she had fell asleep whilst trying to lay. She was about the same age as your Buffy  Huge hugs hun xxx

[newatthis]

very sorry to hear your news, yes i've had it happeren to, i pick up 1 of my leghorns( white hen) not sure if i have the name right  picked her up to check for red mites and she had a hart attack in my arms, not sure how old she was as i only had her a week... she died in front of my 10 yr old, we was both shocked, i thought i had done something wrong till i was told by the person we got her from said it's a thing that does happeren, she did offer us a re-placement but said no thanks

[Hawkins]

well the preliminary results are back from the autopsy all her internal organs were covered in what looked like a white dust. The vet has no idea and has recommended I send her bits off to the lab to be properly diagnosed which I have agreed to as I need to know if my other girls will be effected.

The vet said it was as if her kidneys had given up and all her internal organs were crystalising but she just cant understand why as she was so young and she should never have gone just like that she should have shown some symptoms.

At 7am this morning she was perfectly fine chasing the ducks around. She obvioulsy had a nasty underlying problem but poor girly. Results back in a week so watch this space. if anyone has heard of anything similar especially any Orpy breaders please let me know.

Thanks for all your kind replies guys I know it hapens to others as well i was just a bit shocked. Ive never ever spent so much money on a dead chicken but I have to know what went wrong.

[Caralou]

I'm so sorry Em   I know how much you love all you girlies. It does seem so strange in such a young bird. Is there any way she could have got into something such as de-icer, anti-freeze or car screen wash? Big hugs from here xxxxxx

[Pretty Chick]

What a shame 

[Hawkins]

thanks guys but no chance of her getting into anything like Cara suggested will just have to wait for the lab reports and see. such a shame.