[PhilDotte]

Thismorning I went out to let the girls out and check on the chicks, which were put into the main coop last night, to make sure nothing untoward had happened through night.

Everyone came running out except my lovely Silver Laced Wyandotte Bantam (Gracie).  She just sat there, head under wing, sleeping.

I went down the garden to open the rabbit sheds up and came back up the garden and watched Garcie lift her head up, fall off her perch and land in the bottom of the coop.  When I got to her, she was tail in the air - head tucked under her crop (so basically landed on the back of her head) with her wings out stretched.  She flapped them twice and as I picked her up, her eyes closed and she died in my hands.

She has been lively and laying fine up until this point.  No lice, mites or bugs of any kind - eating well and drinking well.  I believe she was a last years bird so not old.

Can they just 'lose' their balance, fall off and die like this or do you think there must be something else to this than meets the eye?

Thanks in advance

Phil

[New shoot]

What a sad start to your day  They do sometimes do this - sometimes after they have had a fright like a fox going for them or it can be an underlying heart problem which you were unaware of.  I've had this happen a couple of times to me over the years and it's not nice 

I know you say she was well, but as a precaution I would pick up all your birds today to check their weight and condition, plus check them and the coop really carefully for any signs of parasites. 

[PhilDotte]

What a sad start to your day  They do sometimes do this - sometimes after they have had a fright like a fox going for them or it can be an underlying heart problem which you were unaware of.  I've had this happen a couple of times to me over the years and it's not nice 

I know you say she was well, but as a precaution I would pick up all your birds today to check their weight and condition, plus check them and the coop really carefully for any signs of parasites. 

Hi New Shoot.

I handle them almost every day (they come running for cuddles most days - especially if they think they are going to get treats)  The body weight on all of them seems to have increased slightly in the last month or so.

I frontlined them all 2 weeks ago after I noticed lice on one of the ex batt girls. After 24 hours they were all lice free.  The nest box area is mite powdered every week when it is cleaned out and there are no visible signs of any red mite or anything like that.  I was surprised to find lice on them 2 weeks ago, but I suppose the barriers we put in place are never always 100% effective.

You mentioned this happens when they get a fright or shock sometimes.  Maybe she was shocked to see me at 6.30 instead of the usual 7.30.... LOL

Thanks for your help.  Maybe I will never find out exactly what happened but at least there is this forum here to help with advice etc when you really need to look for answers

Thanks

[azubah]

She must have been feeling poorly or she would have come running out with the others. It was not anything you did.
A few years ago one of my hens fell off the greenhouse staging, only from a height of about half a metre, and died a day or two later. She was 4.5 years old. I suppose if they are feeling a bit off colour they can lose their ballance , just as we might.

[New shoot]

Sounds like your girls are well looked after Phildotte    Like azubah says, Gracie must have been ill not to come running out, but it must have been something very sudden.  My guess would be heart problems but unless you have a vet nearby who can pm birds you won't know for sure.

[PhilDotte]

Hi New Shoot

My rabbit vet who is actually just down the road from me is a bird specialist (falcons) and is also a very good chicken vet.  She's South African and used to work on many farms out there with plenty of chickens to attend to.  She is ever so helpful and I can ring her for hen advice and she rings me for rabbit advice from time to time.  I have spoken with her about doing a PM and she thinks similar to yourself that it must have been something sudden rather than long onset and probably not worth the cost of opening her up to have that confirmed. My vet saw them just a week ago when she came to see the dog and commented how healthy they all looked

I am of the opinion that if you have live stock, you have dead stock and they go hand in hand with each other.  If anything else starts to happen with then Hens then I think we'll investigate further at that poinit.

I'll keep you posted, but hopefully there will be nothing to report

[New shoot]

I'm sure its a one off and the rest will be fine.  Like I said, its happened to me a couple of times but I've had chickens for years and it is a rare occurance. 

Lucky you to have such a good vet nearby