[maninvan]

a sad day today one of our hens died last night she was taken to the vets a few weeks ago as she had stopped laying so we thought she could be egg bound or something else, the vet checked her over and said she was fine and just giving her body a rest. saturday when i saw her she went from good to bad quick and took her to the vets straight away and was given antibiotics and other medication and she started to perk up later that afternoon by eating drinking and standing on her own two feet just to be on the safe side i kept her in our house last night when i checked on her at 1am she had died to say im devastated is an understatement has any body else had the same experience the vet hadn't a clue what was wrong with her and didn't hold much hope but admired us for being so humane and bringing her to a vet looking forward to some response ta andy.

[min200]

Chickens hide any illness really well so when you realise somethings up it can be (and quite often is) too late.

I have had the odd hen just fall over dead for what seems like no reason.  It can be a shock or a hidden heart problem, again well hidden until its too late.

Loosing them isnt easy but you have done all the right things by your hen so you can rest easy there.  Its just a sad part of keeping any pet...the fact is we loose them all in the end and it doesnt get easier each time.

[Lindeggs]

Hello maninvan, it does sound like you did everything you could - including taking her to the vet.  Often there is very little a vet can do for a sick bird, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic is usually their best guess for a cure. 

Keeping her indoors in the warmth was also a good move.  From what I can see there really is nothing else you could have done. 

Best wishes.

[bantam novice]

So sorry to hear about your hen 
I agree with the other posters that you did all you could.  It is never easy.

[maninvan]

thankyou to the posts above and letting me know that i did all i could, it is a reassurance but still difficult to get your head around, thanks andy.