Chickens dug up and cannabalized one of their own

[Jajika]

Hi again.

Oh, she was dead, alright. She hung herself getting down from the tree. Somehow, her head and neck got caught in a "v" branch in the tree. Small space, so how that happened, I don't know. She could have been there all day. I didn't have time to go out to the yard in the morning. I got her down, cried, held her, said my goodbyes, then got a shovel and buried her.

It was pretty. That part was also upsetting on top of everything else. The digging up business was on top of finding her hanging by the neck in the tree. Ugh...all so sad.

Thanks for the question. It has merit.

Geri

 

[Sandstorm495]

All I can say is wow....sounds quite unusual to say the least! My chickens have eaten lizards and once, a frog before, but to think that they would go and dig up a chicken once it was buried sounds unusual. My guess is that it was uncovered my something before the chickens actually spotted it. Meaning, they saw it and got into it after it was uncovered, they didn't actually dig it up themselves. Its an interesting story, however sad.

 

[Jajika]

Hi and thanks...

Of course that is a very reasonable possibility as well. It's just so very, very strange.

What really gets me is the where she was buried and where she was moved to is about 20 yards!

The entire scenario is just so very, very odd. Guess we'll never know what happened...except that I found her in the small coop with part of her wing chewed up and blood underneath in the straw.

Yeah...between finding her hanging from the tree and the move and eating....It's something to get over.

Thanks for everyone's support. It helps.

 

[aart]

I have mixed feelings about seeing the event. It's difficult to imagine the logistics.

Thanks for the notes.

It does defy logic...that would dive me nuts wanting to figure it out!

I just can't see a chicken digging 2 feet down, but I have seen 1 foot deep dusting holes....
....tho something else may have dug it up and chickens would feed off it...I can't imagine chickens dragging anything that large at all.

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

Here is an idea. Go to the market buy a cheap hunk of meat. Bury it again the same place, the same way, make sure your birds see you do it. Point a camera on that spot to record OR put one of those video baby monitors in there so you can watch from inside.

If you don't want to leave your camera outside and you won't be around to watch the monitor, you can set up the monitor as usual and place your camera next to the receiving monitor on your table inside, to record the screen.

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

Then of course post it on youtube and send us a link!

 

[Jajika]

All interesting ideas. Getting some of resolution would help...one way or the other. It is a mystery and these ideas are tempting.

When I give this test a try, I'll certainly re-post it here so we can all have the information.

Really appreciate the support...it has been a very troubling experience.

Thanks so much again.

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

All interesting ideas. Getting some of resolution would help...one way or the other. It is a mystery and these ideas are tempting. 

When I give this test a try, I'll certainly re-post it here so we can all have the information. 

Really appreciate the support...it has been a very troubling experience.

Thanks so much again.  

Good luck. I'm super curious too! I read the idea about the coop video baby monitor from another post on byc. I'm looking to get a cheap one to monitor who is and who isn't laying! And to spy on my birdies just for fun

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

I found this link, comment #2 someone posted how their chickens were trying to dig up a dead hen! They even covered it with a concrete paver.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/305706/chicken-has-lost-three-toenails