Birds eating (literally) birds. (NO PICS don't worry)

[fhdogs]

Yesterday I was sitting on my patio about 75 feet from the coop watching Chicken TV when I noticed one of my sex link hens running around with something large in her mouth. She was playing keep away from her roo and her sister, stirring up quite a commotion. The younger pullets were also trying to getting in the action.

Upon further inspection, I noticed that they were fighting over a small bird. The area behind the coop is mostly brush with a few apple trees, and there are many small birds (finches, sparrows etc.) that live in the brush.

My question is, should I be concerned about this behavior? Might they start going after each other? Do you think my chicks actually caught the bird or was it sick and died in the run/coop.

I didn't think I'd have any luck getting the bird away from them, and I didn't see any evidence of it's remains this morning.

 

[Kezzie]

My biggest concern would be that disease would be passed on from the dead bird to your chickens. If it happens again, I would take it away from them right away.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

If your other birds happen to be bleeding then YES you should worry about them attacking and killing the other bird. They are Carnivores so they LOVE meat. Any thing thats small..mice, sm birds, frogs Etc...don't have a chance with your hens around. Mine catch chipmunks all the time and swallow them right down. My old hen is the best mouser we have

If one of your chickens happen to get hurt and begin bleeding you will have to remove them ASAP and put them in a "hospital cage" until they heal up. If the prey they catch was alive then i would just let them eat it. The only time I take it away is when it was already laying dead. And BTW GOOD LUCK trying to take it away! LOL I had to catch mine in a huge fishing net to do that. They REFUSE to share!

 

[rmelvin23]

My ladies like to eat the lizards in the yard. Pretty gross, but the ladies like the chase and the game of keep away after it is caught.

 

[daisy_dukers]

Mine have been having fun with garter snakes lately.... They sure are blood thirsty lil buggers.

 

[Kezzie]

Snakes and lizards are fine (mine like tasty little skinks) but wild birds can spread H1N1 and other nasty things.

 

[zatsdeb]

mine catch and eat mice, and run all over the place playing keep away with the other chickens.

 

[Kiwi Chicky]

I so didn't realise how bigger carnivores chicken are!!

I knew they ate meat but I didn't think they'd hunt down chipmunks!

there might be a few skinks around here for my girls, but no snakes.

I too will watch out for bleeding chickens, thanks for the advice!

 

[The Zoo]

Mine were looking at a large gopher snake and wondering how it would taste. Needless to say I shooed them and the snake away.

 

[cluck-addict]

I made a ham the other day. A real ham with the bone. After all the meat was gone I threw them the bone. They picked it CLEAN> They just loved it. That along with tomatos from the garden and apples for desert. WOW I hope they were full.