The sudden death of about 50 domestic fowls on the Andrew Wordes property in Roswell last month remains a mystery.

A toxicology report requested by Mayor Jere Wood was not able to determine a cause of death, Wood said Thursday.

"They said, normally, healthy chickens don't die," said Wood, who had two turkeys among the casualties.

Wordes, now serving a jail sentence for probation violation, said he thinks someone poisoned about one-third of the chickens and turkeys he was raising at his home while he had been away at a political rally.

Volunteers and friends have since relocated Wordes' animals.

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Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC