Chicken Died

[lulu6867]

I have (had) 2 chickens and 2 evenings ago as I was putting them inside one of them seemed to be wretching and stretching her neck up and down, she then vomited a bit she did not want to go inside so I left them out side for the night as it was nice and warm, when I went to them in the morning the poorly one had fallen asleep outside I picked her up and took her inside the house, she was extremely sleepy I left her with my daughter as I had to go to work. Dd felt she may be egg bound so put her in a warm bath oiled her vent and finally tried to extract the egg but there was nothing but pooh up there. She kept her on her knee wrapped in a towel and eventually she let out a long cry and died.:( All that said, does anyone know what could have been wrong with her as I am worried it was a disease and worry that the other one will go the same way.

Gapeworm?

What was she like in the days leading up to her sudden illness? Diarrhoea, poor feeding, weight loss etc.?

Unfortunately birds are very adept at hiding their symptoms until it's too late, so it's usually impossible to tell what's killed them.

She was fine but had not really eaten much I suppose but I thought it was because it was so warm.

You havent said how old she was or if she was ex batt? we lost a chicken today. no idea of what it was she droopy looking as my kids call it - tail down, looking sunken skulking around and when we went out this evening she had died. wasnt egg bound as we checked no sign of URTI infections or anything else. We bought her at auction 2 weeks ago and guess she was actually quite an old bird. Sometimes they do just go like that we had one running down the path for food who stopped and fell to the side dead - a real shock to the kids as it looked like he had been shot. I am sure you did your best but like everything perhaps she had just had her time. from what you say, i don't think you can have done any more. good practice is to thoroughly clean out everything in case she had something infectious. i am almost sure she doesnt but keep an eye on her friend. good luck.

Thanks for your replies, we cleaned the run and coop thoroughly as you said and her friend seems ok but seems to be missing her I may get some more not sure yet.

If you can't get more birds or at least one, you'll have to have your remaining one rehomed. You can't keep a chicken by itself, they are flock birds.

I had never heard of Gapeworm before. I'm sure one of my chickens died of it last winter though and another chicken just died a few weeks back. I think of old age really. Standard brown hybrid hens dont last long. Five to six years at most.

Now just one chicken and a cockerel left.