Yes, you are right. A necropsy is for dead animals.
I said, "Should you lose a hen, be prepared to send the carcass to a poultry diagnostic lab for necropsy and lab work."
Ok, so I think I may have discovered your birds' health problem.
Your birds have a compromised immune system.
In spite of what you may believe about the quality of your feeding program, the way you are feeding, your chickens have been deprived of several essential amino acids which are critical for a healthy immune system. I'm not surprised they would succumb to any viral or bacterial pathogen with which they would come into contact.
To begin, I want to reiterate that a complete chicken feed is formulated to meet their nutritional requirements as long as it is freshly milled. No supplementation is needed.
I also want to reinforce the fact that chickens are omnivores, not herbivores or Frugivores.
Crude protein is made up of amino acids. Different species have varying needs for amino acids. Out of the 21 AAs. Humans have 9 that are essential. Chickens have 12 that are essential.
They really need the higher levels of essential amino acids that are found in animal protein.
Without knowing the analysis of the feed you are buying, let's say your layer feed is 16% crude protein which it likely is. Since the main ingredients are already grains, the mill must add some essential amino acids in synthetic form to supplement those that are missing in vegetative sources of protein.
If you are buying a balanced feed and then only provide that at 50% of the total intake mixing it with 25% each of corn and wheat, then here is what is happening to their crude protein intake. Corn is about 8% protein. At best, wheat is about 12% protein. Mixed half and half, that makes a 10% protein grain mix. Mixed 1:1 with a 16% protein feed will yield 13% crude protein. Add to that the lysine, methionine, threonine and cystine are deficient in 50% of your mix (wheat and corn).
Higher levels of methionine, lysisne, cystine and valine are essential to a robust immune system.
As healthy as fruit and vegetables are, adding them to the diet will further exacerbate the deficiencies of essential AAs in your feed mix. Fruit and vegetables are extremely low in protein.
Without my knowing for sure what the nutrition profile of your feed is, there is always the possibility that the feed may be a bit deficient in essential amino acids. That would make matters worse.
Start by losing the additional grain and cut back on the fruit and protein till they recover. In the interim, give them supportive care.
You can also call the feed manufacturer and get a list of the nutrition profile, especially lysine, methionine, vitamin A, D and E content.
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