Dead hen!

[Baysidegal]

Sorry for your loss. She might have had a reproductive disorder. How old was she? How long has she been laying eggs? If you still have her body, you could take or send her to the state vet for a necropsy to look for a cause of death. The body should be kept cold, but not frozen. Here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

She was less than a year old. They will be one year old in July.

 

[Baysidegal]

Sorry for your loss. She might have had a reproductive disorder. How old was she? How long has she been laying eggs? If you still have her body, you could take or send her to the state vet for a necropsy to look for a cause of death. The body should be kept cold, but not frozen. Here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm

She was less than a year old. They will be one year old in July.

 

[Baysidegal]

Pretty sure this is a no-no. But it sounds like a reproductive issue otherwise.

Cedar is not ok? Only pine? Why?

 

[Eggcessive]

Cedar shavings may have too strong an odor and can be irritating. Is the floor cedar or is it the bedding? Pine shavings for bedding is preferred.

 

[Baysidegal]

The bedding was cedar shavings. My research did not indicate cedar was harmful. There is a company that build coops in NC that recommends cedar for deep bedding.

 

[Baysidegal]

What else, exactly, have you feed them?

Per Becky’s book (reference BeckysHomestead.com) in addition to Organic laying feed they also get a mixture of
Oats, whole Corn, black sunflower seeds, meal worms, zero grain cat kibble.
They also get crushed oyster shell and crushed granite. I also add some diatomaceous earth to their feed mixture to keep them de-wormed. Becky has a number of videos on You Tube

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Per Becky’s book (reference BeckysHomestead.com) in addition to Organic laying feed they also get a mixture of
Oats, whole Corn, black sunflower seeds, meal worms, zero grain cat kibble.
They also get crushed oyster shell and crushed granite. I also add some diatomaceous earth to their feed mixture to keep them de-wormed. Becky has a number of videos on You Tube

For starters, "Becky's " list will make for some fat chickens. Fat chickens are more likely to have serious health problems. Stick to a decent pellet/crumble feed and leave out Becky's extras. Save those for -occasional- treats.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Things like black oil sunflower seeds and corn have their places, so does kibble, but if you add those items in to to many meals and your doomed to have an obese hen with untold amounts of health concerns. Corn is one of those things that do great as a bed time snack in cold weather, sunflower seeds have a very high fat content, but also protein, so it's a great snack during moulting as is cat kibble. It's strange of Becky to say grain free cat kibble and add oats to her recipe. Brahmas are large birds to begin with, adding extra weight, especially in places you cant see it, such as the liver... well, the outcome wouldn't be very good.

The only way to actually pin point what killed your girl is to do a necropsy as @Kiki suggested.

 

[topochico225]

Oats, whole Corn, black sunflower seeds, meal worms, zero grain cat kibble.

These will lead to obese hens and weight-related diseases like Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome if fed often.

​

 

[topochico225]

The bedding was cedar shavings. My research did not indicate cedar was harmful.

"Cedar shaving is not safe for chickens and can cause respiratory distress. Cedar shavings contain plicatic acid, which is proven to break down cells in the lungs and airways when inhaled, which can cause unpleasant symptoms and even long term asthma." -henraising.com

"Cedar bedding is not safe for chickens due to the damaging effects of plicatic acid on chickens’ respiratory systems, the damaging effects of terpene hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds on chickens’ livers, and the carcinogenic nature of cedar dust. Chicks raised on cedar bedding commonly die, and adult chickens living in coops with cedar bedding may get sick and die, although the negative effects of cedar may be delayed by months or years." -thefeatherbrain.com

Take a look at this link. They cite real academic articles for evidence.
https://www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/cedar-bedding-chicken-coops