I have three hybrids (about 20 months old) and until today one black Orpie and a Wyandotte. The three hybrids have always dominated the other two. The black hen started laying for the first time about a fortnight ago, then stopped for a week. on Monday she laid an egg with an extremely fragile shell, and on Tuesday one that wasn't much stronger at one end. Then last night I noticed she had gone to bed early (I thought) but this morning I found her alone in the hen house standing stock still. I coaxed her out and she ate a few scraps but then stood still again. I tried putting her by the water but she just lay down. seeing her, I realised that the other hens might start pecking her so I popped her back in the hen house with water. I kept checking on her but she was getting weaker, and had her eyes closed most of the time. This afternoon I found her slumped at the bottom of the pop hole ladder, head sunken in, eyes closed. She was unresponsive to being picked up, and felt very thin (?). In the end my lovely neighbour (who shoots, etc) despatched her for me.
I am so upset, and worried because her pal the Wyandotte was being chased out of the hen house this evening. Any ideas as to what might have killed her? I did try and see if she had an egg stuck but I could find no swelling or lump anywhere: just she had had a little yellow diarrhoea on her feathers. I would be really geateful for advice as I am a newbie chicken keeper .