Dead rooster

[ORChick]

I went out to check the chickens this afternoon, and give them their afternoon couple of handfuls of grain, and found the Buff Orpington rooster dead on the ground. They were confined to their coop today, so I know nothing got him; he was just dead. He was about 11 months old.
Oddly, last year a Buff Orpington hen (about 14 months old) also keeled over from no easily discernible cause.
These are the only BOs I have had in my flock, and I have no reason to think they were related. She came from the farm store as a chick, and he was hatched by my broody from an egg given me by a friend (though maybe her hens came from the same farm store )
So, what do you think? Coincidence? Or are BOs inclined to this sort of thing? Heart problems, or whatever it might be?
I've had a few other losses over the few years I've had chickens - several fell victim to dogs; one to a hawk, and one I had to put down because of a massive prolapse. But these are the only ones who just .... died.
It was not particularly warm today; in fact, rather cool for the season.

 

[Marianne]

I think sometimes they just die and we never figure out what happened. But that's just my opinion. I'm guessing coincidence - sorry you lost him.

 

[Hinotori]

I think it's coincidence.

That said I've had a lot of issues (heart and reproductive) with hatchery birds. Even the offspring of them have had some issues. I crossbred some and those birds have been healthy. I've given up on hatchery birds and got good birds from others.

I still have some of my first birds from the feed store. The EEs have faired the best. I've been covering them with a real ameraucana rooster for more good egg layers.

 

[ORChick]

Quite honestly, I also think it is coincidence. I know - if that's the case why did I pose the question? Mostly just to see what sort of conversation might start. And also because I don't know anybody in real life who might be inclined to commiserate with me over the death of a chicken . But I also thought it was interesting that both of my birds that died suddenly were BOs. My oldest hen, from the first lot of hatchery chicks I got 5 years ago, is a little Silver Spangled Hamburg - and she just keeps clucking along, laying a small egg every other day, avoiding dogs and hawks, and bullying the bigger hens

 

[Marianne]

I'll commiserate. I bawled when I lost my first hen, Marigold. Of course it had to be the one that hopped in my lap when I sat down and was more a pet than the others, right? Now I don't name them.
I have two old hens that were given to me several years ago. They're still laying and I don't have the heart to put them down. Since they free range almost every day, feed costs are a minimum. But I did get rid of my last two roosters because the old grey hen had taken to living on the roost rather than have to deal with the frisky roosters.
Everyone is more relaxed and maybe laying better since they aren't streaking across the property, trying to stay away from the roos.

 

[baymule]

I am sorry about your BO. I can't help myself, here I am trying to be sensative and my wicked humor comes creeping in. As i typed the first sentence and typed BO, my mind went to Body Odor! A picture of you with reeking fumes rising from your body walking into your coop and knocking chickens dead. I am sorry, really I am...........well .......... not about the humor.

 

[Emerald]

If he was your only roo I'd say probably some unknown defect but if you have other roos.. they fight even if you don't see them.. I've found that out the hard way.. but usually the hens are the DOA due to fighting roos.. they just get in the way..

 

[PacasNChicks]

I went out to check the chickens this afternoon, and give them their afternoon couple of handfuls of grain, and found the Buff Orpington rooster dead on the ground. They were confined to their coop today, so I know nothing got him; he was just dead. He was about 11 months old.
Oddly, last year a Buff Orpington hen (about 14 months old) also keeled over from no easily discernible cause.
These are the only BOs I have had in my flock, and I have no reason to think they were related. She came from the farm store as a chick, and he was hatched by my broody from an egg given me by a friend (though maybe her hens came from the same farm store )
So, what do you think? Coincidence? Or are BOs inclined to this sort of thing? Heart problems, or whatever it might be?
I've had a few other losses over the few years I've had chickens - several fell victim to dogs; one to a hawk, and one I had to put down because of a massive prolapse. But these are the only ones who just .... died.
It was not particularly warm today; in fact, rather cool for the season.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your Rooster. Like Marianne ... I cried at the loss of my first chicken. I work for a family who live on 4 acres, who were given some chicks as a house warming present almost a year ago. They were given some barrd rocks and when they were probly 2 months old, one was getting picked on and one morning, when getting to work, I noticed his neck kept twitching badly. I isolated him for a few days and he seemed to have healed. Well, they put him back with the others too soon and the next morning, I found her twitching again in the cage. I wrapped her in some paper towels, held her as I walked into the house and with tears rolling down my cheeks, asked my boss to put her out of her misery as she was twitching badly again and was so lifeless. He just looked at me and said ... Seriously? but he did .. he's a compassionate man but didn't realize how attached we would get to the chickens. And yes ... we stopped naming them because each that had a name, was either taken by a hawk or a coyote or their *&^(^)&^ puppy. I am raising 4 each of Barrds, Buff O's and Silver Laced Wyndottes and will NOT name them! I just call them babies or will cluck for them to come...
take care

 

[ORChick]

If he was your only roo I'd say probably some unknown defect but if you have other roos.. they fight even if you don't see them.. I've found that out the hard way.. but usually the hens are the DOA due to fighting roos.. they just get in the way..

I do have another rooster, but he, and his girls, are in another coop. For various reasons the two flocks never combine - one is out one day, and the other the next. So those two guys had never been closer than the hardware cloth would let them be. They will all be able to run together now, now that I needn't worry about rooster fights.

 

[ORChick]

I am sorry about your BO. I can't help myself, here I am trying to be sensative and my wicked humor comes creeping in. As i typed the first sentence and typed BO, my mind went to Body Odor! A picture of you with reeking fumes rising from your body walking into your coop and knocking chickens dead. I am sorry, really I am...........well .......... not about the humor.

No worries! I must admit that that is also my first thought whenever I see that particular specification. However, it was HIS BO, and not MINE ... thank you very much!!!