Seven dead hens within 4 hours, not attacked. UPDATE: Teflon Poisoning!

[bald Rooster]

Something strange happened /Some kind of poison got in there coop/Some kind of reaction to something/ they ate a hole in a wire and all electrocuted themselves /

 

[21hens-incharge]

Feed issues usually take quite a while to kill birds. There would be symptoms like runny poo, weight loss and lethargy.

You haven't added a new heat bulb have you? I've heard of some having nonstick coatings, elements in nonstick coatings are quickly deadly to birds.

Good question.

 

[TexasSam]

Hopefully we aren't bombarding you with all this we all just want to help

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am sorry you are dealing with this on top of your house burning down.

I do understand about not being able to safely bring them indoors. I have bird dogs and it would not go well here either.

Hopefully we aren't bombarding you with all this we all just want to help

Totally agree.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Listen to what OP is saying though. OP visited at 2, 5 and 7.
If it was the heat lamp, don't you think OP would have felt it was overly warm and seen the birds in distress?
OP I'm assuming the heat lamp was on during your visits.
One new variable is that bag of feather fixer. It would be very rare there was something bad enough in it to kill chickens though. Was it a new bag or is there the chance it was quite old? Was it an already open bag that something could have gotten into it?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Listen to what OP is saying though. OP visited at 2, 5 and 7.
If it was the heat lamp, don't you think OP would have felt it was overly warm and seen the birds in distress?
OP I'm assuming the heat lamp was on during your visits.

I agree. When I asked it was prior to seeing that the OP has a walk in coop.
MY concern about to much heat is satisfied by the pic of the coop. The lamp is visible up very high in the far right window.

 

[Welshies]

Hmmm. So maybe they didn't overheat? 250 watts packs a punch though.
I'm still thinking weasels, especially if their coop has "drafts" at chicken level. They can squish through tight spaces.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Something is telling me it might be weasels too.
OPs right, though, it would have to be the weasel started with one bird at 5, one was dead when she visited at 5:30 but there was no sign of stress, no feathers like they had been flying around. Having more birds dead 90 mins later fits the weasel MO, but you would think 90 mins later when OP visited there would be some sign of a scuffle and the other birds being stressed not asleep. One would think OP would have heard the rooster or the dog would have alerted. We don't have weasels but they sound evil.

 

[Chelseyb123]

Do you do any type of treatment or remedies for your flock? I do a. Variety every couple days of garlic cinnamon an Cheyenne papper in their and feed and acv in their water.(haven't had any health problems other than a frozen pooppy vent and a little frostbite) Im in maine i know how its been here and last night was super cold and windy! this is my first winter with them. Im not using any heat other than a water heater outside the coop. Did you check them over for any thing other than an attack, likw mites fleas etc? I have 12 all together an a leg horn with a bare back an the smallest outta the rest that are all very hardy and shes been doing really good. So if your hardy birds didnt make it last night i really think it has something to do with the temp humidity an vents and possibly health related. Sorry for your loss of home and flock.

 

[Welshies]

Something is telling me it might be weasels too.
OPs right, though, it would have to be the weasel started with one bird at 5, one was dead when she visited at 5:30 but there was no sign of stress, no feathers like they had been flying around. Having more birds dead 90 mins later fits the weasel MO, but you would think 90 mins later when OP visited there would be some sign of a scuffle and the other birds being stressed not asleep. One would think OP would have heard the rooster or the dog would have alerted. We don't have weasels but they sound evil.

Weasels are very sneaky. If birds are sleeping they'll kill the whole flock without a peep, unless a bird suddenly realizes the danger. They don't make a noise and being 4-8 inches long, they're basically squirrel ninja.
They're also a cousin of the wolverine.
They turn white in winter too, making them really camouflaged.
Don't know about the first one though- if the OP found one dead early on.