A beetle attacked our baby chick!?

[77horses]

Last week, our broody hen and her 3 chicks were walking around in the grass under supervision from my younger sister. They were just scratching around, momma hen was showing chicks the best places to eat bugs, when suddenly a black beetle jumps out of the grass and on to Juno, our Red Star/RIR chick!

It bit her and started to drink her blood apparently. My sister saw it right away and got it off of poor Juno. She bled a little bit where the beetle had latched on, but not too much. Luckily, it didn't cause anything serious; Juno is fine now.

I was at camp when this happened, but my sister told me all about it when I called her to ask how everything was at home.

At first when she told me I was like, "A black beetle? Really? Are you sure? Is she OK?" I didn't believe that some random black beetle would latch onto a baby chick and bite it.

I've never heard of that happening.

I don't know what kind of beetle it was...It was black. Too bad I don't have a pic of it.

Any thoughts??? Juno has been acting normal after the beetle attacked her. And it wasn't a tick.

Thanks!

 

[77horses]

anyone?

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Woah -

Sorry, I have NO idea

 

[citrusdreams]

I'm thinking, wow, that must have been one big ugly bug

I don't know what to suggest. I'm assuming that there's not much you can do if they're free ranging because you're not there all the time. I can suggest that you check on them periodically so that you help them out if they need it.

How long was the beetle on the chick? I would think that if mama would have seen it, she would have devoured it?

 

[rancher hicks]

Need a little more information. How big? In the grass? Near wood pile? What state, city ? Just black any other colors?

 

[77horses]

Quote:
OK I called my sister for more info about it. This is what she said:

It was about the size of half your pinky finger. It was black, but lighter on the bottom of it. It reminded her of a small centipede/ant thing. It had pincers on its head and butt. It had lines on its back(like a centipede). She saw another one get eaten by one of the chickens.

I don't think it was on the chick for very long because she was watching them and saw it right away when it latched onto the chick.

I immediately thought of the Darkling Ground Beetle:

http://images.enature.com/insects_spid/insects_spid_m/is0177_1m.jpg

 

[77horses]

I told my sister that if she finds another, put it in a jar or something so I can look at it and take pics of it to post here.

 

[SangaChicken]

Maybe it was a rogue beetle exacting revenge for your other chicken eating its mate?

 

[charlielynnsingletary]

Quote:
FUNNY!!!! Sorry I have no idea.

 

[insiderart]

Kinda sounds like am earwig to me. Have her look up some pics of them on the net.