➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[ShrekDawg]

They peel through skin like a hot knife through butter.

When the hawk tried to get my Polish a few months ago, it was unable to pick it up and was going to try to eat it on the ground.

There were feathers everywhere, but she beat it off. I then had to go down there and help it out of the fence in area because it couldn't get out. It's talons made me so nervous and it's beak. Even though it tried to eat my bird, I still felt bad for the thing. I got it out and it was unharmed. My chicken is still alive and doing well.

Oh wow how scary!! Glad everyone was okay!!! They are definitely very sharp!

I wish I knew what it was so I could better protect them but I suppose some hardware cloth will do the trick.

 

[FortCluck]

Oh wow I didn’t know they were agile on the ground like that! I have seen them eat on the ground though. One killed my buff Orpington a few years ago while they were free ranging and I’ve seen them eating a bunny in the yard.

They are definitely torn wide open. So I guess maybe not a hawk.

But is it possible he just hadn’t had a chance to eat him yet? Or would he have killed him by puncturing him?

I really want to see if I can find any wounds now.

I honestly don't see any sign of a hawk doing that to your chick. It's possible that they can do it, but I don't think that is the predator that went after it.

I'm going with Tes about a raccoon. It probably tried to pull it by its wing through the fence. I'm assuming that it happened last night too and not during the day.

The reason why I say it happened last night is because your older birds and younger birds would have made a heck of a lot of noise if there was a predator trying to get them during the day.

If none of your younger birds or older birds are acting strange, that means that it probably attacked at night when nobody else saw it. I'm assuming that he was sleeping outside of the coop last night.

When we get attacked by predators my chickens won't even come out of the coop. Even if I tried to get them out they still won't leave.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I honestly don't see any sign of a hawk doing that to your chick. It's possible that they can do it, but I don't think that is the predator that went after it.

I'm going with Tes about a raccoon. It probably tried to pull it by its wing through the fence. I'm assuming that it happened last night too and not during the day.

The reason why I say it happened last night is because your older birds and younger birds would have made a heck of a lot of noise if there was a predator trying to get them during the day.

If none of your younger birds or older birds are acting strange, that means that it probably attacked at night when nobody else saw it. I'm assuming that he was sleeping outside of the coop last night.

When we get attacked by predators my chickens won't even come out of the coop. Even if I tried to get them out they still won't leave.

That makes a lot of sense!! Thanks!! I think she said they were making noise which is why she went out there but I think it could have just been their egg song. Also I feel like she would have seen a raccoon. They were all inside though. I feel even worse now though if he was sleeping outside last night and I didn’t check once more before bed!! But I feel like if one went out, at least a couple others would have? I don’t think he would have slept alone but idk. That is where they usually pile up though. But he was safely inside last night. I wonder if it could have gotten him very early this morning??? They wake up very early. Even earlier than my other birds. So that could be a possibility? There are a couple feathers further back, by the front of the coop, which may also support that theory. Could have gotten spooked and ran to the back corner. Guess I will never know for sure. But I will check for wounds and buy some more hardware cloth.

 

[Tesumph]

I honestly don't see any sign of a hawk doing that to your chick. It's possible that they can do it, but I don't think that is the predator that went after it.

I'm going with Tes about a raccoon. It probably tried to pull it by its wing through the fence. I'm assuming that it happened last night too and not during the day.

The reason why I say it happened last night is because your older birds and younger birds would have made a heck of a lot of noise if there was a predator trying to get them during the day.

If none of your younger birds or older birds are acting strange, that means that it probably attacked at night when nobody else saw it. I'm assuming that he was sleeping outside of the coop last night.

When we get attacked by predators my chickens won't even come out of the coop. Even if I tried to get them out they still won't leave.

A young raccoon or an opossum is my guess. They managed to grab the wing and blindly pulled without thinking too much about it. Probably got interrupted before it could finish.
She said it wasn't very stiff so it would've been within a couple hours of finding it.

 

[FortCluck]

A young raccoon or an opossum is my guess. They managed to grab the wing and blindly pulled without thinking too much about it. Probably got interrupted before it could finish.
She said it wasn't very stiff so it would've been within a couple hours of finding it.

Maybe early this morning. Hawk probably saw it dead and was trying to find a way to get it

 

[ShrekDawg]

A young raccoon or an opossum is my guess. They managed to grab the wing and blindly pulled without thinking too much about it. Probably got interrupted before it could finish.
She said it wasn't very stiff so it would've been within a couple hours of finding it.

Maybe early this morning. Hawk probably saw it dead and was trying to find a way to get it

This makes the most sense I think!! These chicks wake up crazy early so he probably woke up and somehow got spooked into the corner and something and the inexperienced predator may have accounted for why it couldn’t figure out how to get to it. And hawks sometimes scavenge right? Maybe looking for a free meal.

 

[FortCluck]

@KDOGG331 is this the one you got? I had a 10% off coupon I didn't use so they extended the expiration date so I used it today. Anything will be better than the damn heat bulb I'm using. I'm using a low wattage reptile one, but it's still annoying and the chicks don't sleep

 

[ShrekDawg]

@KDOGG331 is this the one you got? I had a 10% off coupon I didn't use so they extended the expiration date so I used it today. Anything will be better than the damn heat bulb I'm using. I'm using a low wattage reptile one, but it's still annoying and the chicks don't sleep

View attachment 2014103

Yup!! That’s the one!!! and yeah, I’ve read it’s bad for them. Apparently they can develop eye problems or even aggression and laying later if raised under a light 24/7. Fascinating.

 

[FortCluck]

Yup!! That’s the one!!! and yeah, I’ve read it’s bad for them. Apparently they can develop eye problems or even aggression and laying later if raised under a light 24/7. Fascinating.

Did you put it on the brooder or heater on the switch?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Did you put it on the brooder or heater on the switch?

Brooder. I think heater is too hot.