Apparent Healthy bird dead

[mustangsaguaro]

So, this morning when I went out to feed and let everyone out, everyone was ok at 8am this morning. I just went out to go and look for eggs and I look in one of the coops and I have a dead bird. This is at about 10:30am. She was alive and well, or what appeared to be well 2hrs ago.

My question is what could have caused this? This bird was only 9mos old. She had already started laying eggs. And she even laid an egg yesterday and the day before I think. So I know she wasn't egg bound. I did notice however the past 2 or 3 days her sitting in a box not roaming like the others. She would sit there for a few hours but then go out later on. What could have caused this? She wasn't acting depressed of weird/different. Only difference was her sitting in the nesting box for a few hours. About 3 or 4 weeks ago I did do a feed change of their diet to a all whole grain diet. Could this have caused it? Now I am worried about all my other birds possibly dying too.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Should I call someone to come and take her body to do a necropsy and see what it was? I was going to go dig a hole and bury her, but now I'm wondering if I should wait.

What would you all do? If I need to call someone to come get her who would I call?

Thanks
Kim

 

[chicmom]

Why did you change their diet to all whole grain, and what types of grains are you feeding them? I am just curious.

You know, chickens can have heart attacks, strokes, things like that, just as humans can. So sudden death like this does happen.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

Quote:
I changed their diet because I have read that feeding whole grains is much healthier than the commercial processed feeds. Because I am in Ca. I have already shipped the bird to UC Davis for them to do a necropsy on her. They supposedly are free.

Thanks

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
They can choke on their feed. Pullets and hens that get too fat can also have a liver hemmorage when trying to lay and die. They can also jump up into their roosts or nest boxes and break their necks.

Lots of possible answers.

 

[JohnHenry]

Please post the results.