strange fast death

WstTxLady · #1 12/04/12, 10:01 PM

one of my buffs was fine yesterday, fine this morning but then mid morning hubby went out & said she was acting funny. she was back in the coop on the floor squatting like she had to lay but she didn't. i felt, no egg. she was almost out of breath & had labored breathing. i put her in a nest box to be comfortable & she was falling asleep. when i came back to check on her she was dead. her comb & waddles were deep purple blue. only thing i think is maybe she was stepped on by the half grown cow accidentally.

beats me

chickenista · #2 12/04/12, 10:24 PM

Heart failure.
If her wattles and comb were that deep purple blue, that is a classic symptom.
There is nothing you could have done and it is more common in heavy breeds like Orps.

Amaranthus · #3 12/05/12, 10:38 AM

Did the purple comb and wattles occur before death? Bear in mind that as soon as the heart stops beating, ie dies, they will always go purple.

Could you possibly do a postmortem? If you are used to processing poultry you may be able to spot an abnormality that will improve your knowledge and ability to care for the rest of your birds.

Bettacreek · #4 12/05/12, 11:57 AM

One of our leghorns passed in a similar way. A day or two later, someone mentioned that they saw our sheep grab a white chicken and shake it like a dog would. I thought total bull, until I saw all of the feathers right at the edge of the sheep's run. He also stepped on one of our leghorn roos, and that roo is still gimping around. Most birds seem to heal up injured bones within two weeks or so, but that lamb has been butchered for over a month now, and that roo is still gimpy. I wouldn't put it past the cow to have accidentally stepped on a chicken at all.

pancho · #5 12/05/12, 12:14 PM

Birds will try to act healthy until it is too late for anything to help them.
It protects them from predators. Sometimes people will not notice the signs that a bird is sick until it is too late.

WstTxLady · #6 12/05/12, 03:51 PM

her comb & waddles were bright red before & purple/blue after death

i didnt do an autopsy. it wouldnt have bothered me but it was late & hubby took the body way off so that predators around here wont get a taste for chicken.