Help! Ducks cannibalizing chickens CW: gruesome

[Lana_Marie]

Hello all,

I got my first flock of poultry as chicks last spring (an assortment of chickens, and a few Muscovy ducks). They were all raised in the brooder together and transferred into a shared outdoor living space without issue. However, over the last few months, my female ducks have started attacking my hens and eating them.

Without going into too much detail, I feel like I should share what they are doing, as it is bizarre, and I have never experienced something like this.

CW

They are not getting into fights, killing the chickens, and then eating them. They are actively eating the hens while they are alive, starting at the vent, and then eating the entrails.

When I found the first hen dead in the coop in this state I thought some type of predator had gotten inside. It wasn’t until I walked in one morning to a duck doing this to a still living chicken did I realize what was going on.

I have since slaughtered all the ducks that have done this, and unfortunately had to slaughter my last female this evening (3 in total).

I grew up on a farm with both chickens and Muscovies, and have never experienced this before.

I would really like to get another batch of Muscovy ducklings and try again, but I do not want this to keep happening. Does anyone have any advice on why they might have been doing this and what I can do, if anything, to keep this from happening with new ducks in the future?

Thank you,

Lana

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What were you feeding the muscovy? I keep mine with my chickens without too much problem. The only time I had problems is when I bought a swap meet drake and he kept attacking my roosters. I figured he was brooded with chickens which can mess them up.

Almost any species of poultry will cannibalize a wounded bird. Muscovy are omnivores like most poultry and need some extra protein at times.

Chickens low on protein will often start to pick at each other's vents as well.

 

[Lana_Marie]

I feed them a mix of about 50% layer mash (17% min. protein), 25% crackers corn, and 25% black oil sunflower seeds, plus they are supplemented with fresh fruit and veggies.

You say brooding ducks and chickens together can mess them up? All of mine were brooded together. Could this have been the issue?

I know that poultry will cannibalize dead or injured flock mates, but none of these hens were sick or injured before the ducks went after them. Also I am not having a problem with the chickens cannibalizing eachother. Maybe since they are only going for the vents I need to up their protein?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I recommend feeding minimum 16% protein daily. If you are going to add lower protein extras than the base ration needs to contain more protein. I feed an all flock ration with 18% and recommend up to 20%. Corn is only 8% protein on average, so adding it to the diet can lower the protein. Sunflower seeds are very high in fat and can cause hens to prolapse due to internal fat. I've learned that the hard way and use them sparingly. Is it possible you hens are prolaspsing and the ducks are picking at it. How many hens have you lost?

When different species are brooded together they end up thinking they are the same species. Muscovy drakes may try to mate chicken hens which can lead to severe injuries. Muscovy brooded with only muscovy will view chickens as a different species that share their space, and there's less chance of true aggression.

I've never seen my muscovy target my chickens enough to injure them. They will poke and peck each other at times, but mine have a large shed and can get away.

How much space do your birds have? Crowding can cause aggression too. Muscovy do best with lots of room. Any poultry species can become more aggressive if there's not enough room to get away from each other.

 

[Lana_Marie]

Wow, thank you for your reply. I never knew too much fat in the diet could cause prolapse. I will cut back drastically on the sunflower seeds and corn.

This may be what is happening, although I will add that the hens I have been able to get to before they pass only have the outsides of their vents eaten at. No signs of prolapse. But obviously I could not tell with the others as they had been picked pretty clean.

I have lost a total of 4 hens, and currently have one inside that was attacked this afternoon.

Do you think I would have better luck with aggression if I brooded ducklings separately, and then introduced them into the flock?

I started with 30 birds (26 chickens, 4 ducks) in a 120 sq. ft. coop that is attached to a run. They are allowed out into the run, but most days they choose not to leave the coop currently because of the snow. They do not seem crowded to me. They also have access to food and water all day.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow, thank you for your reply. I never knew too much fat in the diet could cause prolapse. I will cut back drastically on the sunflower seeds and corn.

This may be what is happening, although I will add that the hens I have been able to get to before they pass only have the outsides of their vents eaten at. No signs of prolapse. But obviously I could not tell with the others as they had been picked pretty clean.

I have lost a total of 4 hens, and currently have one inside that was attacked this afternoon.

Do you think I would have better luck with aggression if I brooded ducklings separately, and then introduced them into the flock?

I started with 30 birds (26 chickens, 4 ducks) in a 120 sq. ft. coop that is attached to a run. They are allowed out into the run, but most days they choose not to leave the coop currently because of the snow. They do not seem crowded to me. They also have access to food and water all day.

You do technically have enough room for that many birds. @aart is good with square footage. Hopefully she will add her advice.

With only 4 ducks in the mix I would seriously be looking more at whether the chickens are starting it all. Have you seen the ducks actively chasing hens? A ducks bill isn't very sharp. A chickens beak is and they can quickly eat holes in each other. I might lower my stocking rates, and raise my protein levels. The ducks brooded separately shouldn't be a problem in my experiences mixing chickens and muscovy.

Decades ago I saw some cannibalism in my chickens. I was at that time feeding a layer ration and a healthy dose of scratch. Similar to what you are doing. I thankfully haven't seen it since I improved their diet. I switched to the higher protein ration and stopped with so many extras, and things improved drastically. Mine free range so they can augment their diet more than confined birds which are more at your mercy and what you feed. Confined birds you need to be extra mindful of their nutritional needs, as well as watching for boredom which also can lead to bad habits.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Wow. I need to restock the chicken feed, and have been giving 22% protein gamebird grower/finisher to the whole flock, doing very well. Considered changing back to an all-flock lower protein for the spring and summer, since all my youngsters are fully grown, molting is finished, and spring will be on us before long. Guess I won't change feeds after reading this!

 

[Lana_Marie]

You do technically have enough room for that many birds. @aart is good with square footage. Hopefully she will add her advice.

With only 4 ducks in the mix I would seriously be looking more at whether the chickens are starting it all. Have you seen the ducks actively chasing hens? A ducks bill isn't very sharp. A chickens beak is and they can quickly eat holes in each other. I might lower my stocking rates, and raise my protein levels. The ducks brooded separately shouldn't be a problem in my experiences mixing chickens and muscovy.

Decades ago I saw some cannibalism in my chickens. I was at that time feeding a layer ration and a healthy dose of scratch. Similar to what you are doing. I thankfully haven't seen it since I improved their diet. I switched to the higher protein ration and stopped with so many extras, and things improved drastically. Mine free range so they can augment their diet more than confined birds which are more at your mercy and what you feed. Confined birds you need to be extra mindful of their nutritional needs, as well as watching for boredom which also can lead to bad habits.

It is definitely the ducks starting it. For some reason this flock of ducks was very aggressive, and I have had issues with them chasing the chickens in order to pluck and eat their feathers, and unfortunately it has escalated to this. Whereas, I have not seen the hens fighting/picking on each other basically at all. The hens all seem very docile.

I will definitely work on improving their diet and increasing protein, and then maybe I will introduce some new ducklings to the flock in the spring.

I really appreciate the insight and advice.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good gawd. That's horrifying. I'm sorry.

I'd separate them asap.

 

[Huntmaster]

I feed them a mix of about 50% layer mash (17% min. protein), 25% crackers corn, and 25% black oil sunflower seeds,

It's not a good idea to mix those things we call treats with their feed they tend to pick out the treats and not eat the feed. Especially that much, layer feed is usually min. on protein% anyways and you are bringing that % way down. Then the chickens pick out the treats and then it's even lower. The corn and sunflower seeds and fruits and veggies are treats and should not be more than 10% of their diet. I would only give them a little of those things a few times a week or very little daily in moderation separate from their feed not mixed in. That mix you are feeding is only about 13% protein and that is if they are eating equal amounts of everything lower if they are picking out the treats. Hope this helps you and your birds.