Sad story but informative

So I just lost 2 of my sweet ladies in one week. Both were Copper Marans just over a year old and laying well. Both sudden death with no obvious cause. I took the second one into the state lab for fear of bird flu. The good news is it was not that. The bad news is that it was Fatty Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome....and probably could have been prevented...I think.

I feed 16% protein feed with meal worms and black oiled sunflower seeds for snacks. I also got some "scratch" to throw out for them as a treat/activity. The scratch is mostly cracked corn...a heavy carb that contributes to FLHS as do meal worms and sunflower seeds. I feel terrible.

All of my birds go out in a yard for the day and none seem "fat." But these girls died from a hemorrhaged liver...breaks my heart. I've had birds for a few years and never had anything like this happen.

I hope this information helps someone else. We are no longer giving treats other than fruit and vegetables.