Something Weird Is Happening

Something weird is happening with my chicken flock. I ordered twenty chicks in early April. They were delivered in late April. They have just begun to lay eggs. Each morning, I go out, and the cutest little eggs are waiting for me in the laying boxes. Don't get me wrong, my new chickens are crazy. I have never seen such flighty, scattered birds in all my life. However, if they lay eggs, they can be as crazy as they like. It is an odd time for them to begin laying eggs. My older hens have all been molting or blowing their feathers for the year. I'm unsure why they do this and how they benefit from losing their feathers, but it seems like a bad time of year to lose one's protection against the cold.

Even stranger and more disturbing is I have lost five chickens in the last two weeks. It is not my older girls who are dying of old age. My new, young chickens are dying suddenly and seemingly without cause. One passed away in the yard in the middle of the day. She had no marks on her. There were no signs of attack. She did not demonstrate any symptoms or signs of illness. She just sat down in front of the coop and died. In the last two weeks, I have found four hens dead in the coop in the morning when I open the doors and feed them. These girls also sat down, tucked their little heads under their wings, and passed away. If they were not so still, I would assume they were sleeping; they look peaceful and natural.

Unfortunately, our area lacks a poultry veterinarian, so I don't know where to seek answers or help. I am considering calling our extension office to inquire about my poultry care options. I'm not sure they can offer me any insight, but it's worth a try. My girls and Romeo have always been healthy and robust. They are free-range chickens, so they run around the farm taking dust baths, eating plants and bugs, and exploring a relatively large area, as all chickens should. I feed them a high-quality laying mash, offer oyster shells for calcium, and add vitamins to their water monthly to boost them. I have done some research online but have not been able to identify any issues. The only difference in their diet is they are eating the pumpkins I have put out for decoration. The pumpkins come from quality local growers and are not covered in pesticides. I can't make heads or tails of it unless they are eating a poisonous plant. If that is the case, I have no idea how to identify what they have eaten or from where. The internet sites I have used for research say most chickens innately avoid poisonous plants. Sigh...

Each morning I go to the coop, I hold my breath in anticipation that another one of my fat-bottomed girls will be dead on the floor. I lost two this week, and I consider five birds to be a considerable loss. I hope there is not some illness or disease being spread. I am genuinely flummoxed at the loss of so many young birds in a short time. If anyone has any poultry experience, I would appreciate any insight or advice. As a preventative measure, I clean the coop, disinfect the water bowls and feed dishes, and add a bonus dose of vitamins to their water. I don't know what else to do to help them. It is indeed a weird situation.

On this seasonably chilly day, stay safe, be smart, and keep washing your hands. If you know anything about chickens, I would appreciate your insight.