Chickens keep dying 😭

[Look at all them chickens]

I have had my flock for almost 4 years. They have always been healthy and we have only lost two in 4 years. One to a male duck that attacked her and the other was trapped behind a food bin. In the past two months I have had 4 just drop dead!! Two RI reds and two black ones (sorry they were a mixed bunch when we got them at a day old and I never did figure out what they all really are). They literally are fine and running around the night before and I find them dead in the coop.
There has been no change to their routine, same food, clean water, clean coop and run. They free range but it is in a contained extended run. When I find them they have full crops so I know they were eating. No bloated belly no sour crops.. nothing!! I am lost on what to do!! Help please! Any ideas? Is this happening to anyone else? I live in Kentucky and it is 50s to 60’s outside.

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry to hear that. What's their diet? Could they have found anything toxic?

 

[Look at all them chickens]

I'm sorry to hear that. What's their diet? Could they have found anything toxic?

They get layer feed, scratch, any bugs they can find and they get scraps from the table. But they don’t get anything they are not allowed to eat. I am very careful what they get and google anything I am unsure about. They were all fat little ladies that were fine the day before. And the are so spaced out. One today and one last week. Then the other one was 3 weeks prior. The first one two months ago. I am so confused.

 

[DotToDot]

Do you have any uncommon-ish (not the right word dangit) plants? Foxglove and milkweed are both toxic to chickens. A lot of people have milkweed and don’t realize the dangers.

 

[Look at all them chickens]

Do you have any uncommon-ish (not the right word dangit) plants? Foxglove and milkweed are both toxic to chickens. A lot of people have milkweed and don’t realize the dangers.

No foxglove at all. No milkweed that I am aware of.. they do not “free range” in the wild. They are still enclosed by fence. The only weeds or yard greens we pick for them are normal clover bunches.

 

[nuthatched]

No foxglove at all. No milkweed that I am aware of.. they do not “free range” in the wild. They are still enclosed by fence. The only weeds or yard greens we pick for them are normal clover bunches.

If they were production breeds, they might have died from reproductive issues.

 

[Look at all them chickens]

They were just normal girls. We never put light in their coop to lay longer. No one had any discharge. Is it their breed?? I just don’t know enough. I do t even eat eggs that often

 

[KRack]

Do they feel thin? Have you ever wormed them?

 

[LizzzyJo]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m wracking my brain and all I can come up with is access to wild water fowl poop brining a disease. My heart goes out to you from one Kentuckian to another

Also - is your name based on that video of the girl and the geese? We say that here all the time. Very funny

 

[MamaFox78]

Oh no, I'm sorry for your loss! Any caterpillars around? Certain species are highly toxic to chickens... if they're able to eat bugs they find, this is one possible culprit. Or maybe mushrooms?