So I ordered 30 Welsummer chicks from Cackle Hatchery on May 7th. Had a few die the first few days in the brooder box but 24 were very healthy (5 cockerels, 19 pullets at this point). Raised them 2 weeks in brooder box, then moved them outside this third week into a simple cage with chicken wire, wire "roof", and plywood on top and side for shade/shelter. I've raised chicks here before with no issues. Been feeding Du-Mor Starter 24% 3 times a day in one of those generic red feeders. 2 separate waterers that I filled when needed, usually 3 times a day. Left a heat lamp on in the corner at night and cut it off in the morning. This morning like any other fed and watered them and they were fine. Come home at noon for lunch and all but 2 are dead, stiff even. The 2 still alive are hanging on by a thread. Some were close together but also some were scattered in the cage. The food was empty except for crumbs (like usual), a water dish was turned over and the other had very little. There were lots of flies already and the day before there were several flies but being near the coop it's nothing unusual. Friday through Tuesday we got quite a bit of rain, about 4 inches. It's only about 85 degrees now. What in the sam hill could've killed all of them in such a short time frame? I've thought of seemingly everything... Always had plenty of food, water, warmth. Too much food? Too little water? Too hot? What predator could've got in? Nothing bigger than a snake and the bodies seemed perfectly intact so snake could have tried to swallow them and suffocated them as I've had happen before, but all 2 dozen?? Within a few hours time? Ok maybe disease. I wasn't giving them medicated feed (would have but smallest I could get in my town was a 50 lb sack). Even if some disease, they all die so soon? I am completely stumped and obviously p.o.ed. The other animals are all fine: goats, dog, guineas, 22 chickens. I keep thinking about the rain... clearly they didn't drown because we haven't had any significant rain since Tuesday. But maybe the wet ground made for bacteria or something? I thought about taking a few to the vet and see if they could test them for disease or if they had any ideas. Haven't had this happen before and am quite vexed. Any help appreciated. Thanks