Chickens dying for no known reason- don’t know what to do.

Jun 27, 2017
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Kentucky, USA
Hey. I have two flocks each with a rooster. About a week ago I was having morning sickness and told my husband to let the flocks out and he forgot until 2pm. It was 84 degrees. When we opened the coop the rooster (one in my pic) and two hens were dead. The remaining hen jumped out without pause, comb rosy, no sign of distress.
I was mad and told my husband he killed them with heat since they were perfectly healthy and had no injuries or blood. Yet I couldn’t explain why they didn’t distress call (they are right outside the window where I slept in) or why the remaining hen wasn’t even dehydrated. Also the coop was insulated and not really hotter than outside.

It’s been a week, and today we found a hen from the other flock (flock of one roo 10 hen) dead. She was also healthy this morning at let out. All four chickens died quickly from healthy to dead between 8-3pm. None made warning sounds or distress. All appeared to have tried to bury their heads (in the pine shavings in the coop and the one today in the mud in the run as it was raining).

This flock was confined to the run out of precaution since the original deaths. It’s a large omelet walk in run about 16 feet long.There was not any aggression in either coop before deaths. I don’t know if chickens seem to bury their heads to die or if that’s a big sign of something and that’s why I put this on here. I’m guessing crazy disease or poison somehow. Anydirection appreciated. Thanks.
 
Do they have water in their coop because hens can not survive the day without water, and are your water distributers water nipples because not all hens know how to use those.
 
Do they have water in their coop because hens can not survive the day without water, and are your water distributers water nipples because not all hens know how to use those.
If the hens didn't know how to use them they would have died a long time ago unless OP just installed them. Chances are they had water...Idk.
Maybe send one into a lab? They could do some tests on the body, maybe a chicken autopsy.
 

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