10 week old chicken just killed

[jessyjones]

One of my baby chicks just attacked and killed the other chick which was healthy. We have lost 2 others unexplained and found one other with a broken/strained foot.
Please help. I don't know why it would do this?

 

[CuckooOrpington]

Are you sure it was the other chick that did it? What was the evidence? That seems like a very extreme case of cannibalism or aggression. It is very rare for a chick to be so aggressive. If you know which one did it, separate it. Cannibalism is caused by lack of protein, boredom and overcrowding. Where was the other chick attacked (head, tail, back ect)?

Also, were they outside at the time... sometimes corvids especially magpies in the breeding season, can attack chicks.

 

[azygous]

Very often people assume when they find a dead chicken that it was killed by the other chickens because they see no other evidence. This is called circumstantial and it's very misleading most of the time.

Predators can gain access through so many ways, you would be surprised. A few years back, a poster was finding dead and mangled chickens each morning and assumed their rooster was killing them. This being rarely the case, we urged the OP to rig a game cam focused on the spot where these dead chickens were being discovered.

It turned out a raccoon was gaining entrance through a vulnerable spot where coop and run were attached. Mystery solved and issue resolved when the vulnerable spot was repaired.

You don't give us much info to work on, but suffice to say, it's highly unlikely one of your chicks is killing others.

 

[donrae]

I agree, it's not the other chickens. It's a predator. Someone's found a buffet and they will keep coming back until you have a predator proof enclosure.

You'd be amazed where a predator can fit through. And yes, you have predators where you live.

 

[jessyjones]

My husband walked in to the room as there was sounds if flapping and peeping and caught it jumping on it and flying around the cage as it repeatedly jumped at its neck, by the time he could get to the cage the other one was dead. We found feathers in the cage too as well as found feathers the last 2 that were found dead but thought maybe it was just normal as the others were unwell.
They were in a large cage, inside with plenty of food and water. I live in Australia so no racoons. Nothing can get inside as its a new house and sealed well. The cage is high off the ground.
After the incident the other is making clucking sounds and standing over the food bowls, infact nesting in them. I have the one with the broken leg in with another in a cage. I was taking the broken leg one to the vet to be put down today but this will leave the 'friend' on its own as I can't put it in with the agressive one.

 

[Kimberly4403]

Clucking and nesting doesnt sound like a 10 week old chick?? Can u get some pics

 

[donrae]

Okay, I have no idea why a bird would do that. But if you truly believe in your heart this bird injured and killed those other birds, it needs to die.

The only other issues I could think of would be a lack of space. Overcrowding can lead to pecking and other behaviors. but having birds that were not well otherwise....IDK, something else is going on. Can you be more specific about your set up? Pics maybe?

Why are 10 week old birds in cages in the house? They're well old enough to be cooped.

 

[CuckooOrpington]

At ten weeks the chooks would be fully feathered. You can put them outside, there they will be entertained and shouldn't boss eachother about. What time did this happen? Sometimes rodents will go after young birds when food is scarce. Young cockerels may attempt to 'show dominance' over a dead flock mate by attacking the head and neck.

In one of my pens I had a group of POL birds, one day I found a Silver Sussex dead with feathers pulled out and scratches on her neck. I though it was one of the roosters as a fox or cat would take the bird. The diamond python that had been hanging around would leave no evidence. It tuned out to be the work of a goanna.

 

[jessyjones]

Here is a photo of the chicken

 

[jessyjones]

They are inside during the night as it is winter and too cold to put chickens outside after just turning the light off and i was advice by a vet to leave them inside until it warms up.
The cage is 1.5x1m and there were only the two in the cage at the time.
None of the others make the sounds just peeps.
The one who attacked does have scissor beak but seams to eat and drink no problem so we kept it as it was fine.