A baby chick was killed and remaining chicks are grieving

[achickhardt]

My chicks are one to two weeks away from moving to their coop full time. They are getting restless in their brooder box so when I am cleaning out their box I will let them roam for a little bit in their coop before bringing them back in. We have some great weather and it is warm so they have loved pecking and scratching at leaves and dirt. Today a neighborhood cat found them in my backyard coop, killed one, and scratched up another one. I blame myself for not being out there when it happened so I feel really bad and then my kids are asking what happened and I don't know what to say to three year olds that one of their chicks died. When I brought the chicks back to their box I examined the injured chick. She has a minor scratch and a ruffled feather on her wing. Since they have been back inside the injured chick is pacing her box and looking around almost as if she is looking for the other chick that died. Sometimes they will try to stand up as tall as they can to see over their box and making small low chirps. Has anyone ever had this happen and will this affect the remaining chicks in the long run? I am just hoping that right now they are in shock from the cat and will overcome I just don't want this also affecting their trust for when the kids and I hold them.

 

[kynewbchickie]

My chicks are one to two weeks away from moving to their coop full time. They are getting restless in their brooder box so when I am cleaning out their box I will let them roam for a little bit in their coop before bringing them back in. We have some great weather and it is warm so they have loved pecking and scratching at leaves and dirt. Today a neighborhood cat found them in my backyard coop, killed one, and scratched up another one. I blame myself for not being out there when it happened so I feel really bad and then my kids are asking what happened and I don't know what to say to three year olds that one of their chicks died. When I brought the chicks back to their box I examined the injured chick. She has a minor scratch and a ruffled feather on her wing. Since they have been back inside the injured chick is pacing her box and looking around almost as if she is looking for the other chick that died. Sometimes they will try to stand up as tall as they can to see over their box and making small low chirps. Has anyone ever had this happen and will this affect the remaining chicks in the long run? I am just hoping that right now they are in shock from the cat and will overcome I just don't want this also affecting their trust for when the kids and I hold them.

This shouldn't affect their trust of you all - but it will affect their trust of other animals; cats in particular. Not a bad thing for birds.
The others, injured one as well, could possibly be looking for the other chick - flocks even just a few weeks old tend to be used to one another's presences. Or, they could very well be looking for the cat to come back - especially the one that was injured. That sounds like nervous behavior to me.

Did you clean the injured areas well and disinfect the scratches? Cats, no matter how well cared for, still carry toxoplasmosis and francisella bacteria in not only their mouths, but also the grooves of their claws. Warm water and gentle cleanser, some hydrogen peroxide on the scratches, and then rinsing the area again with warm water should do the trick. If you haven't purchased some Dr. Naylor's Blu Kote, I highly recommend getting a bottle for things like this. Not only is it an antiseptic spray with antibacterial/antifungal properties that promotes healing, it also colors the area a deep, bright royal purple/blue which discourages the others from pecking at the injuries. Anything deep, like a puncture wound, don't use it on. But the scratched areas will be irritating to the injured one, and the others may see the reddened area/blood/scab and peck it to pieces. The Blu Kote will deter that from happening.

Our dog got ahold of one of our "escapees" last night and didn't cause any major injuries, but some scratches and minor bleeding were present. I held her, cleaned her wounds well, and applied the Blu Kote. Put her right back with the others, and no one even acted like they were going to peck at her. They all huddled with her for a few minutes, peeping excitedly, and then they were off and running through the coop and out in the pasture again until time to roost. The dog, however, has been grounded from the backyard until he can learn to leave Mama's birds alone.

Good luck with your remaining babies. I hate to hear of losses. :-( Neighborhood cats can definitely be a nuisance. Luckily, our two cats (one indoor, declaw/spayed and the outdoor tom kitty) have no interest in the chickens. My tom stays fat and happy on the mice, rats, and baby foxes around here, and my indoor girl is just too old and lazy to care. LOL

Keep us posted!

 

[achickhardt]

Knewbie, thank you for your advice. I cleaned up the injured one and did the same with the one that didn't look like it was touched just to be safe. I will have to get some Blu Kote thank you! My husband is also planning on closing in the bottom of the coop just so that cats can't get their paws inside the open cage holes again and terrorize the chickens. My neighbor has inside and outside cats I just never see them so I think that the chicks chirping alerted the cat to come over and investigate. Thank you again!

 

[kynewbchickie]

Knewbie, thank you for your advice. I cleaned up the injured one and did the same with the one that didn't look like it was touched just to be safe. I will have to get some Blu Kote thank you! My husband is also planning on closing in the bottom of the coop just so that cats can't get their paws inside the open cage holes again and terrorize the chickens. My neighbor has inside and outside cats I just never see them so I think that the chicks chirping alerted the cat to come over and investigate. Thank you again!

You're very welcome! There is a thread on here about a chicken owner's basic first-aid kit that I found to be incredibly helpful in getting supplies. This forum holds a wealth of info for chicken folk, BY chicken folk - I'm glad I found it as it's helped me time and again in such a short time I've been a member!
Here's the thread I was mentioning in case you are interested in what one of our "experts" recommends:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...dy-and-essential-supplies-and-how-to-use-them

Sounds like closing the coop floor will be a great idea. I'm a cat lover, too, but my dog is more of a concern than either my indoor kitty or my outdoor tom. Some cats just like birds - and some just don't care. I think you sadly figured out what kind of cats you have nearby...good luck with your remaining chicks. Blu Kote is a life-saver - from everything to sore feet, irritated feathering spots, to breeding injuries and predator injuries that can drive the rest of the flock to peck the one injured to death. It's one tool in the kit that I've already found to be highly priceless!