Chicken suddenly died.

[rebrascora]

I would not mix them. A plant pot with drainage holes in the bottom is fine for grit or oyster shell. It doesn't have to be kept dry like feed. I usually just scatter some on the ground. You can also give them crushed egg shells which they will probably eat more willingly than oyster shell..... again I just throw it down.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They eat the layer crumble from Dumor, I mix in oyster shells and grit into their food

I let them have scratch, and they sometimes will have some watermelon or grapes that have been cut or leftover veggies. And sometimes bread when they are really giving me a hard time about going back into their run for the night before it gets too dark.

I'm sorry for your loss.
If you happen to lose another one, send the body to your state lab https://nhvdl.unh.edu/tests-fees-forms It looks like you need prior approval to send a bird/specimen in, you can find out by calling 603-862-2726

I agree, I would not mix the grit and oyster shell with the feed. I put mine in small containers that attached to a post in the run, they will take what they need. We all love to give "goodies" to our flock. Everything in moderation. Since they do get to free range/forage some in the afternoons, that is great. Personally, I would cut out the bread. Mine love the fruits/veggies too, I would take a look of just how much they are getting, but generally they won't overdo on those unless they hate their food. A little scratch goes a long way - if you have a hard time getting your girls to come in at night, either lock them up for several days in a row to retrain them where "home" is or teach them to come with your scratch (remember - just a little - about 1tsp per bird). Put your scratch in a can that you can shake - this makes a nice noise they will recognize in no time - shake your can and call them, once they are all in the run, reward them with their scratch This comes in handy anytime you need to get them to come, not just at roosting time.
Here's Terry Golson of HenCam calling her ladies

 

[MndaG]

I'm sorry to read that you lost one of your chickens, especially when she was so young.
What do you feed them including treats?
There are a number of possibilities and we can only guess at the cause. A necropsy would be the only way to pin point what happened. This service is usually available at your state agricultural or veterinary diagnostics lab and is often subsidised due to chickens being part of the food chain, so it may not be as expensive as some people expect.... worth enquiring if you lose another. The carcass needs to be double bagged and refrigerated (not frozen) until you can send it off or deliver it in person to the lab. Or if you are not squeamish it is often possible, even without veterinary training, to identify a cause of death in many cases if you open them up yourself. If you opt for this latter option, taking photos and sharing them here on BYC where we can see them and discuss any abnormalities will usually result in a consensus of opinion as to what went wrong.

The reason I ask about diet is that a dietary imbalance can lead to an ailment called Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome which can cause sudden death, where the liver suddenly ruptures. It is less likely to occur in leghorns I believe than heavier breeds but is still possible.

Is there anything I can do to correct the fatty liver issue? If it's an issue with the hens can i reverse it?

 

[rebrascora]

I'm not sure that there is anything to reverse it but not all will be as susceptible to it..... if indeed this is the cause. Vitamin B supplements are supposed to support the liver function, so might be worth a try.
Usually a bird with Fatty Liver will also have a good layer of abdominal fat too, so you could perhaps assess your girls by cupping your hand between their legs when they are roosting at night and getting an idea of how they feel. This is a good thing to do as a routine, once a month or so, regardless of Fatty Liver as a number of ailments cause abdominal swelling or bloat in hens and those feathers can hide it for months until the bird starts to deteriorate and then it is usually too late to help them. Birds that are carrying too much fat are also prone to prolapse, internal laying and salpingitis. Many people do not realise that hens can get fat or how important a balanced diet it and I was one of them until I butchered my neighbours hens for him. I was really shocked to see inches of thick yellow fat encasing the abdominal cavity and you could see how it had narrowed the internal diameter of the vent making egg laying more difficult and prolapse more likely. He was feeding about a third to a half of their daily ration as mixed corn/scratch. I have been very sparing with the treating of my own flock ever since.

 

[MndaG]

I'm sorry for your loss.
If you happen to lose another one, send the body to your state lab https://nhvdl.unh.edu/tests-fees-forms It looks like you need prior approval to send a bird/specimen in, you can find out by calling 603-862-2726

I agree, I would not mix the grit and oyster shell with the feed. I put mine in small containers that attached to a post in the run, they will take what they need. We all love to give "goodies" to our flock. Everything in moderation. Since they do get to free range/forage some in the afternoons, that is great. Personally, I would cut out the bread. Mine love the fruits/veggies too, I would take a look of just how much they are getting, but generally they won't overdo on those unless they hate their food. A little scratch goes a long way - if you have a hard time getting your girls to come in at night, either lock them up for several days in a row to retrain them where "home" is or teach them to come with your scratch (remember - just a little - about 1tsp per bird). Put your scratch in a can that you can shake - this makes a nice noise they will recognize in no time - shake your can and call them, once they are all in the run, reward them with their scratch This comes in handy anytime you need to get them to come, not just at roosting time.
Here's Terry Golson of HenCam calling her ladies

Thank you, I'll keep them in mind if another passes away.

 

[MndaG]

I'm not sure that there is anything to reverse it but not all will be as susceptible to it..... if indeed this is the cause. Vitamin B supplements are supposed to support the liver function, so might be worth a try.
Usually a bird with Fatty Liver will also have a good layer of abdominal fat too, so you could perhaps assess your girls by cupping your hand between their legs when they are roosting at night and getting an idea of how they feel. This is a good thing to do as a routine, once a month or so, regardless of Fatty Liver as a number of ailments cause abdominal swelling or bloat in hens and those feathers can hide it for months until the bird starts to deteriorate and then it is usually too late to help them. Birds that are carrying too much fat are also prone to prolapse, internal laying and salpingitis. Many people do not realise that hens can get fat or how important a balanced diet it and I was one of them until I butchered my neighbours hens for him. I was really shocked to see inches of thick yellow fat encasing the abdominal cavity and you could see how it had narrowed the internal diameter of the vent making egg laying more difficult and prolapse more likely. He was feeding about a third to a half of their daily ration as mixed corn/scratch. I have been very sparing with the treating of my own flock ever since.

Thank you