Chickens dying rapidly--Flystrike?

[CuzChickens]

Hello everyone!

I just had a friend call me with a problem....She came home yesterday and found a dead chicken, and it looked like it had been attacked by a predator, apparently it's insides had been ripped out. She had another dead one today that looked bad too, and was dead. This chicken was fine this morning. I'm kinda wondering if this is flystrike, or predator? These are all the details I have, she needed to leave and couldn't talk long. Would flystrike be like this? I'll text her with any questions you guys have. Thanks!

 

[rjohns39]

Hello everyone!

I just had a friend call me with a problem....She came home yesterday and found a dead chicken, and it looked like it had been attacked by a predator, apparently it's insides had been ripped out. She had another dead one today that looked bad too, and was dead. This chicken was fine this morning. I'm kinda wondering if this is flystrike, or predator? These are all the details I have, she needed to leave and couldn't talk long. Would flystrike be like this? I'll text her with any questions you guys have. Thanks!

She's looking for a four legged dog like creature. Fox, Coyote, Wolf all go for internal organs first. Since it didn't take the bird, something/someone interrupted it. Dogs typically shake the bird to death, de-feathering it--but don't eat it as they loose interest when it quits fighting. If head is gone and then internal organs attacked it could be a hawk (day) or owl (night). Mother birds will take the head back to the nest and come back to eat dinner. Just some thoughts.

 

[sannabelle]

Flystrike can certainly cause a big gross wound but not one that appears in one day- or one that looks like a disembowlement.

I would say this was a predator attack and she should put her chickens up in a safe secure space until the predator can be determined and anihilated

 

[CuzChickens]

Thanks for the replies!

She says that they are in a covered run, so definitely not a hawk. I told her to look for signs of digging around the run...Any other suggestions?

 

[Youtjatoor]

Predator. No doubt about it. How are they secured and I take it they free range during the day?

 

[CuzChickens]

She says they are in a covered run. So, no free ranging. She has checked for holes, and has found none around the perimeter. I'm agreeing it sounds like predator, but she is almost convinced it is flystrike.

 

[rjohns39]

She says they are in a covered run. So, no free ranging. She has checked for holes, and has found none around the perimeter. I'm agreeing it sounds like predator, but she is almost convinced it is flystrike.

Are the birds up against the fence? Hardware cloth or chicken wire? I had a bird in a dog crate inside my electric fence who lost his life to a barred owl. He stuck his head out of the crate through the bars and that is all it took. Found him pressed up against the bars very much like you described. The reason I know it was a barred owl is because my Toms attacked it and it left feathers everywhere.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She says they are in a covered run. So, no free ranging. She has checked for holes, and has found none around the perimeter. I'm agreeing it sounds like predator, but she is almost convinced it is flystrike.

Is there a way that she can send some photos of her set-up and the wounds/dead birds so we can see them?

 

[Youtjatoor]

She says they are in a covered run. So, no free ranging. She has checked for holes, and has found none around the perimeter. I'm agreeing it sounds like predator, but she is almost convinced it is flystrike.

But with fly strike the birds would show signs of sickness and change of behavior It's not something that happens suddenly. Is there any entry point at all. Even as small as a 1/2 inch? There's lots of critters that could surprisingly fit in real small spaces and do major damage. Has there been any other issues since then?

 

[CuzChickens]

Yes, it is definitely predator, we have finally deduced that. She is looking for holes right now.