help! two chickens found dead in coop: no signs of injury

[lyndseywilliams]

This morning I found my two white leghorn hens dead. They were laying under the nesting box where sometimes they prefer to sleep. There were no noticeable signs of struggle or injury and no blood anywhere. I also have two red-sex link hens and one black australorp. The two leghorns are the oldest (by 2-3 weeks), but when they started maturing, we noticed the leghorns weren't growing like the other three. They were much smaller. They're around 20 weeks now and I'm wondering if maybe their death could have been caused by egg binding. It is just so strange to me that both were found dead the same morning. It was 4th of July weekend, too, so I'm also wondering if the persistent loud noises caused both of them to have a heart attack. I'm here to see if anyone has any other suggestions of what might have happened or can confirm my egg binding theory. This is my first time with chickens and I'm so scared that the other ones are in danger and I don't want to miss anything and wake up tomorrow with the same, horrible problem. Please help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Fireworks could have caused them to run into the wall and break their neck. A leghorn is much smaller than an Aorp.
Check them to see if they had a stuck egg.

 

[lyndseywilliams]

Even the red-sex link (rhone island red and delaware) were much bigger though.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sex link hens run 6-7 pounds, Aorps the same, leghorns 4 1/2 pounds.

 

[lyndseywilliams]

I contacted the farmer who sold us our chicks to see if he had any similar problems. the only thing he could come up with to explain why two chickens would have died the same night is a snake. he said he lost 5-6 in one night due to a snake. while i have never seen a snake in my backyard, nor did i see any signs of one nearby, I'm thinking this may have been the cause.

 

[Oscarsgravett]

It may have been a snake, but I think it may have been to do with the loud noises. My neighbour had a rooster and a bantam hen die when our village had a fireworks party down the road. I am very sorry for your loss Hope your other chickens are fine .

 

[Oscarsgravett]

I also forgot to say that leghorns are naturally quite a flighty breed at times so this may have indused the injury

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I really doubt the snake explanation. A bite from a non-poisonous snake won't kill a chicken. A bite from a poisonous snake could but not quickly. The chickens would be on the roost at night. A poisonous snake wouldn't climb onto the roost to bite and kill an animal it didn't plan on eating.

 

[Eggcessive]

How long have you had the newest birds? Coccidiosis can still affect chickens that age if they are exposed to new soil or new chickens. Corid or amprollium for 5 days would treat it. The signs to watch for are diarrhea (sometimes with blood streaks,) lethargy, puffing up or hunching, poor appetite, and ruffled feathers. Also heat stress this time of year could kill. I like to put out multiple flat pans of water in the shade for drinking and standing in to cool off.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If no other symptoms, coccidiosis won't kill overnight.