Official BYC Poll: What Are The Top Causes of Death in Your Backyard Flock?

[All Ball]

I had had 11 years without my backyard free-rangers getting any predation (aside from 1 of 9 chicks taken by a crow) until this morning when my two remaining girls, aged 11 and 9 and still very lively, were downed quietly by a predator.

 

[BDutch]

I had had 11 years without my backyard free-rangers getting any predation (aside from 1 of 9 chicks taken by a crow) until this morning when my two remaining girls, aged 11 and 9 and still very lively, were downed quietly by a predator.

Sorry for your losses. I can relate to it. My eldest are two very lively 9 yo and one old reasonable fit lady who is 10 yo. It would be hard if I would loose all three, even if I have 4 younger chickens.

 

[Loving my girls]

A lot of my girls have simply died. I’ve checked them over of course, thoroughly, but often there’s not a lot to see. Annie was just found dead under her perch. Nell got weaker and weaker then died, she had never been a healthy girl and egg laying was few and far between which for a Rhode Island is weird so Pinky was found dead like Annie. When there are no obvious signs I tend to assume a heart attack as I think most other things I would notice.
But who knows, mother nature can be fickle.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I've had chickens for 2 years and had 2 deaths.
One died at 9 months in her sleep, the other died outside free ranging (looked like she was falling asleep, I picked her up and she passed in my arms). Both unknown causes. I'm happy they didn't suffer and went the best way possible.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I had had 11 years without my backyard free-rangers getting any predation (aside from 1 of 9 chicks taken by a crow) until this morning when my two remaining girls, aged 11 and 9 and still very lively, were downed quietly by a predator.

Sorry for your loss

 

[All Ball]

A lot of my girls have simply died. I’ve checked them over of course, thoroughly, but often there’s not a lot to see. Annie was just found dead under her perch. Nell got weaker and weaker then died, she had never been a healthy girl and egg laying was few and far between which for a Rhode Island is weird so Pinky was found dead like Annie. When there are no obvious signs I tend to assume a heart attack as I think most other things I would notice.
But who knows, mother nature can be fickle.

Here in the US we do experience a lot of chickens dying from viral or bacterial infections - and there can be a disease present on a property that can continue to infect birds (such as Marek's). Many US states offer affordable necropsies, so people can see what is killing their birds and the government can keep track of diseases - not sure if they have such programs in Europe, but, depending on the age of your chickens when they are dying, you might have something like that going on (mine lived til 8-11 years old and they can live to 15 or longer if they are a good heritage breed...)