Chickens are dying all of a sudden

[FrostyWind]

It happened this morning when i woke up for school. I heard a strange chicken noise and when i look out the window from the kitchen, i saw one of my black hen was bubbing its head, couldn't move, rolling around, and bubbles and stuff started coming out of her eyes, nose and mouth (it was gross but sad). It was already too late to even try to cure her. I watched her (Please forgive me, I could never put any animal out of its misery, I'm helpless, I wanted to end her but I couldn't) struggle, I got up and went to the back of house and saw another Hen who was already dead! SHE was fine just yesterday with her 3 chicks, and now she is dead, 1 of her chicks is dying as i speak, another one disappeared and the other is just silent and chirping for its dead mom. When i looked around I saw another hen dying and struggling and I saw one my Roosters!! who i hatched, fed and grew up was also dying, Vomiting, pooing alot of watery stuff, and couldn't move a lot. When i came back to see my black hen, she was dead, on her back, With me over her sad (because i really love chickens, I've been around them since i was in my moms womb). My rooster and the other hen next to him were both dying but i don't know if they're dead yet, because the hen was struggling to walk and managed to fly up in the chicken tree(where all the chickens go to sleep for night, XD i call it the Chicken Tree) But she is weak. I had to go get ready for school (forgive me). I'm hoping that maybe my brothers has put it out of their misery or they just died. Forgive me, but where i live there is no animal clinic near me, its for miles, Im speaking the truth here.
9:22am Right now I'm at school typing all of this and I don't know if when i reach home that I'm going to come home to seeing every of my chickens dead when i reach home. or just the 3 that was dying before i left.
Also I found a rooster that was missing for a week, i found him in a drain already decomposing, with maggots and flies all over him, he's unrecognizable. My neighbor has been throwing poison around her crops to keep the rats and other pests away from her yard (I guess my chickens were also pests), my chickens have access to her yard so i don't know if the Dead decomposing Rooster I found ate the blue pellet shaped poison. And I'm not sure but my chickens have been going into the drain and they could of peck and ate some of the maggots and rotting flesh of the Rooster i suppose is infected with poison, So could that of been a reason why they're dying all of a sudden? Could the rotting flesh and maggots be infected with the poison thus killing my other chickens?
I've seen my chickens eat maggots from other dead animals and some chickens that died from natural causes and i couldn't find it before the chickens did, but they were all fine and years has past and they were all well from eating maggots before... Though this Rooster could be different?

 

[21hens-incharge]

That is sad.

It is a hard lesson in chicken keeping. If your birds are running free they face not only predators but poison.

Do they have a coop? Do they have a run?

If any survive they should NOT run free since they head to where poison is.

I do think it sounds like poisoning.

 

[sourland]

I am very sorry for your losses, and hope that no more are dead/dying. It really sounds as if your birds have been exposed to poison. Some of the 'fly baits' are used as predator/rat control means and are extremely toxic to birds if they gain access to the poison. Hopefully you have the means of penning up your birds.

 

[WhatAboutBob?]

Sorry for you losses. It is almost undeniably poisoning. There is likely nothing you can do for these birds now. But you are going to have to keep any survivors penned up somehow, or they will have the same horrible demise.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss

I agree, it does sound like your chickens have been exposed to some type of poisoning.

Do you have a way to keep them contained/fenced in? That would be best if they range onto your neighbor's property.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You need to confine all of them ASAP. Even if that means using cardboard and duct tape in the garage.

Bird netting and T posts, plastic garden fencing and T posts, even chicken wire for now.

Anything to keep them from wandering over for more delicious poison.

I am sad for the loss of your birds but you must protect them if any are to survive.

If you have chicks with no moms now it is up to you to set up a brooder and care for them.

 

[mama peggy]

I am so sorry for your loss of your chickens. (
That's a hard thing to deal with especially when you have raised them from chicks.
That would be hard to deal with the shock of seeing that happening for one thing, and the other, that feeling of helplessness for not being able to stop it at the time.
Sending prayers for you and your family, for your loss.
Big Hugs
Mama Peggy

 

[21hens-incharge]

You should also clean up any dead birds including the now very gross rooster. Trash bag and a shovel should do the trick.

Know that your remaining birds will also eat dead mice, rats and other birds.

Since you know your neighbor has some powerful poison out confining your birds is the only way to keep them safe.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just got home and saw another hen has died not too far from the decaying Rooster.
But I'm happy to say that My rooster who I grew up has recovered(probably), he's showing no more signs, symptoms or anything anymore, he's drinking lots of water and eating, and same goes for the hen who was next to him, she's doing just fine(hopefully). I don't know if it'll start again later or tomorrow hopefully not.
3 hens are dead, (only 1 year old).
The baby chick looks normal and fine for now.
The other baby chicks and that are free ranging are only 1 and some days old are looking normal, but before I left I saw some of them eating the maggots from the decaying Rooster, so I think they will start to show symptoms soon but they all look fine and there mother(she has 9 chicks, which are the ones that are 1 and some days old) as well.
The hen who has 9 chicks; her sister was a victim and one of the 3 hens that died<<<she had 3 babies with her, only 2 I'm seeing now, but to me they look confuse, sad and they don't even know what to do now(i think I mentioned that already).
The other chickens looks normal and fine, I hope they don't get infected.
I'll keep updating until.
Thank you all for the words

You should also clean up any dead birds including the now very gross rooster. Trash bag and a shovel should do the trick.

Know that your remaining birds will also eat dead mice, rats and other birds.

Since you know your neighbor has some powerful poison out confining your birds is the only way to keep them safe.

I agree with @21hens-incharge work on getting the dead birds cleaned up. If your chickens are ingesting the maggots and dead/rotting flesh, that's a recipe for Botulism.

If there is any way you can limit where your remaining birds range at this time, that's a good idea until you can get everything cleaned up.

 

[FrostyWind]

Knew it, I've seen other wild birds dying in my neighbors yard (doves and other birds).
I would really like to fence around the yard but I can't at least not for some years until i start to work and earn money for myself and such.
I'm still at school, only half hour away from school finishing.
Hopefully no more chickens has been infected
Thank you all for the kind words. I'm grateful. happy and sad