Barred Rock Hen Sudden Death

[Chicken Man Can]

Had my flock of 5 (3 barred rocks, 1 RIR, 1 RIB) out in their day coop as usual with shade, food, and running water. It is ~77F today, not very hot. Went to check on them and only saw 4 from a distance. As I got close, I saw one collapsed head buried under straw dead. This is happened to one of my barred rocks last year as well, same thing sudden death with no warning signs. Any ideas?

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry you lost her.
We need more information, such as diet, laying, any possible predators etc

 

[Chicken Man Can]

Sorry you lost her.
We need more information, such as diet, laying, any possible predators etc

Layer pellets, kitchen scraps (on occasion), free ranging of bugs and grass. Epsom salt + ACV water. All excellent layers. We have hawks and coyotes but they can't get in, free range is supervised. She was dead all alone, the rest were well.

 

[WingItRanch]

Snake bite?

What do you mean by Epsom salt + APV water?

 

[nuthatched]

Layer pellets, kitchen scraps (on occasion), free ranging of bugs and grass. Epsom salt + APV water. All excellent layers. We have hawks and coyotes but they can't get in, free range is supervised. She was dead all alone, the rest were well.

What's Epsom salt and acv do?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

All they need is clean fresh water to drink.

 

[Chicken Man Can]

Snake bite?

What do you mean by Epsom salt + APV water?

We have no poisonous snakes, the other hens were undisturbed. I put some electrolytes and apple cider vinegar in their water. ACV not APV* whoops.

 

[ChookaPete]

I am sorry she has passed away.

 

[WingItRanch]

You have hawks, coyotes, and raccoons (according to your previous posts) but no poisonous snakes? That's surprising. I'm guessing you're in the US?

Do they have access to regular water, too? Electrolytes should only be given on occasion, not all the time. Same with vinegar.

Reading your previous posts, it sounds like you had a lethargic hen. Was this the same one? I'm thinking this had more to do with a health issue than a predator.

 

[Chicken Man Can]

You have hawks, coyotes, and raccoons (according to your previous posts) but no poisonous snakes? That's surprising. I'm guessing you're in the US?

Do they have access to regular water, too? Electrolytes should only be given on occasion, not all the time. Same with vinegar.

Reading your previous posts, it sounds like you had a lethargic hen. Was this the same one? I'm thinking this had more to do with a health issue than a predator.

The electrolytes and vinegar are diluted. If I don't add them the water in their bucket turns green with algae. She was happy and active, zero signs. Sudden surprise death. Same happened to her barred rock mate last year.