# Sudden death (warning video)



## Nicksuch (May 11, 2020)

I have had my ladies for four years, happy healthy chickens, constant fresh water fed on layers pellets, mixed corn as a treat and lots of greens (last was a cauliflower on friday)
they live in an eglu and have daylight operated doors and an enclosure behind a fox fence
the ladies are all in nice condition with a good colour to crop and comb, then this morning I find one dead, I have cctv watching them and reviewd it, they where all scrabling about in the dirt happy as normal, then one sways and collapses whilst running in a circle, it appears to go from healthy to dead in less than 15 seconds
any ideas on the cause?
im sorry this is a horrble first post


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Very often with sudden deaths like that we look to the heart for being the cause. It's about the only thing any of us can explain how it can happen so suddenly.

I know this has to be hard to have it happen at all. Just know, it isn't anything you did or didn't do.


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## Nicksuch (May 11, 2020)

Thank you Robin for your reply, I had assumed it must be a heart attack to be so sudden. the remaining five have just stood and watched me bury the dead chicken, they almost look confused. How do you introduce new birds to a small flock? do I wait for them all to go and start again or down to three and bring in three new ones?
can i bring in two new ones now?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I wouldn't bring in any. The thing I noticed is the space issue. I don't know where you live but the foliage suggests somewhere warm. The biggest issue is their coop, it's not big enough for that many birds to have to remain in for any extended period of time. 

Introducing new chickens to an existing flock is quite the tap dance to get the established flock to accept new members. 99% of the time the new members have to be kept where the old flock can see and hear them for a week before trying to introduce them. Even then things might not go well.

Due to space, I would wait until you're down to two then bring in two.


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## Nicksuch (May 11, 2020)

warm it is not! Im a keen gardener, im in the uk current outside temp 6 degrees celsius, normal summer max 20 to 25, the eglu was sold as being suitable for 9, i decided 6 was enough. They have a bit more space than you can see, probbably about 50 square meters/60 square yards, ill wait till im down to 3, i have enough garden space to set up a temp coup next door with the same size area and probably enough fox netting (its on a 10kv pulser that protects a pond from herons too) to protect them. I think that as 6 have been happy for four years i must have got the balance about right. again thank you for your advice. ill pop to other parts of the forum and show off my home made daylight sensing door and cage openers !


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, I really can't see it's that big from the vid. I'm happy to learn they really did have more space than the little box I can see. 

You'd think chickens would be simple, right? I mean they are once the unit is settled into their routine. But trying to change the dynamics of the flock can be one of the most frustrating things there are. 

OK, you can come to my house and clean up the mess I've got in my garden beds. Put this here, that there and oila' you've got an instant mess.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I am very avid about warning everyone looking into buying a coop for their birds...they ALWAYS claim the building holds more chickens than it does. I've seen premade coops that say they will hold 6 - 8 chickens and the coop is 8x8 ft, that's only enough for 2 birds. You must be very careful, chickens are very space sensitive.


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## Volodymyr (May 12, 2020)

Looks like chicken got bite by hornet.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That doesn't kill instantly like that.


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