This is not necessarily a problem. Most staghorns will shed prior years leaves at the beginning of the new growing season.

You will however see the same kind of symptoms with overwatering (the primary cause of an untimely demise). Overwatering is especially common with staghorns in pots as the media is usually very dense and water retentive, the permanent moisture around the roots and buds can lead to rot.

If your staghorns are big enough now, I would recommend mounting them and grow them as they would in the wild, as an epiphyte.

HTH

thanks leemcallister, they are probably not big enough to mount yet.. they grow very slow and i do believe that i did overwater them.. they are also turning brown at the tips and some(antlers) are dying.. it just doesn't look too healthy.
does anyone else have any ideas as to get them healthier or what i should not do?? thanks