[mccardey]

It seemed quite happy until yesterday, when it didn't lay and spent most of the day on its nest. This morning it seemed to be standing a lot and not interested in moving - but it wasn't breathing quickly or anything, so I thought it was probably ok and just kept an eye on it. I gave it some bread with oil and garlic which it ignored, and then a few minutes later it just lay down and died.

So - maybe eggbound? Was there something I should have done differently? And should I assume the Other Chicken is ok for the moment? It's still laying and eating and being generally badtempered which is its usual look.

If it sounds like an eggbound chicken I'd really like to know what causes that and what I could have done better.

Vale chicken. You were a very good layer, all things considered         In the next life you should be a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. More cuddles and less of the egg-business.

[Birdie Wife]

So sorry to hear that.  Chickens can hide their symptoms until it's really too late to do anything about it, and then they can die very quickly, so don't worry that you didn't notice or couldn't do anything in time. It sounds like you did all you could have done - I know it's easy to feel responsible for everything that happens to the animals in your care, but it's by no means your fault.

It could have been egg-bound - it's hard to tell. The usual symptoms (apparently - I hasten to add - as I've never had experience of this in my own flock) is that the hen will act as if straining to lay an egg, fail, try again... or do poos like scrambled egg (egg has cracked inside and infection sets in).  You could have a look at her vent if you feel up to it.  If you want a definitive answer, you might want to take her to the vets for an autopsy.  There is an advantage in knowing, because although there's no bringing her back, you'd find out if she died of a nasty infectious bug that could have affected your other chicken and be able to treat the live hen accordingly.  However, if she is feeding and drinking and generally behaving as normal, I would tend to assume she's fine and whatever affected no.1 hen is not infectious.

I would keep an eye on no.2 hen and if she has no symptoms after a week or so, assume she's fine and get her a friend or two  .

[doganjo]

Chickens have a habit of just popping off like this for no apparent reason.  After a few days or weeks and some thought sometimes you come up with the answer yourself.  Slightest things seem to do it - in the past I've had a chicken survive being mauled by my dog (feathers and skin pulled right off side of chest down to leg, I sluiced it with warm water, squirted in a half tube of savlon, slapped the feather blanket back up, wrapped a stretch bandage round her, fixed it with elastoplast and 10 days later she was fine.) then a couple of years later she just laid down and died for no reason - but when I counted up how old she was - 9 - it became obvious.  Others have died after being sickly for a few days.
Good advice in last post, check the remaining one is fine for a few days then get her some pals.
Annie

[mccardey]

Thanks, both of you. I'll keep an eye on the other one and if she seems funny at all I'll have a closer look.