Beetle Killed Chick?? **GRAPHIC**

[sonofabish1]

Looking for help to better understand what happened here and learn from this experience...

I have been raising 30 or so cornish cross chickens once a year for the last 4-5 years or so. I've had chicks die before but this was a bit odd. This chick was 5 days old. When I found him this morning he wasn't completely dead but very close to it.

The beetle was firmly attached and there was a hole in the chicks stomach/side near the beetle. I didn't do any more investigating and instead put the chick out of it's misery.

So here's what I'm thinking happened - last night the beetle crawled on to the chick. Chick couldn't get it off and the other chicks tried "helping" and eventually pecked the check to near death trying to get the beetle off.

Does that sound plausible? From what I read these beetles aren't strong biters and only drink - no eating. So what would it be doing on my chick? They were near the water jug so maybe the beetle was just lost and looking for a drink.

Has anyone seen this before? Anything I should learn from this experience?

*****WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE*****




(click for larger image)

 

[centrarchid]

I cannot see beetle clearly enough to make an ID. Chick does not look 5 days old. Or beetle is huge. Beetles I see working chicken carcasses are 1" long at most. They also come after fly maggots well established as the maggots are what they actually consume.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

It's a stag beetle.

 

[Aapomp831]

The chicks could have gone after the dying chick because they instinctually know that dead/sick chickens attract predators so they try to cull it from the flock (well, we cull... they just kind of savagely kill). The beetle may have been attracted afterwards and had nothing to do with the actual death. That’s just my gut opinion....

 

[sonofabish1]

Pincher Beetle or Stag Beetle. Not my picture but it gives you the idea of the size.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/beetles/stag/stag.htm
I don't know how the chick died, but the beetle could be the cause or just coincidence.

 

[sonofabish1]

The chicks could have gone after the dying chick because they instinctually know that dead/sick chickens attract predators so they try to cull it from the flock (well, we cull... they just kind of savagely kill). The beetle may have been attracted afterwards and had nothing to do with the actual death. That’s just my gut opinion....

That's good to know. I always thought they just got "curious" and pecked around at them.

Usually I lose 1-3 chicks in the first week due to "natural" causes. But usually when I find them they are motionless, even though they may still be breathing. This guy was occasionally trying to get up but just couldn't which made it seem a bit different. Throw in the large beetle and I'm completely confused!

Thanks everyone for the opinions.

 

[Aapomp831]

I’m sorry this happened.

 

[sonofabish1]

I’m sorry this happened.

Thanks.

 

[Chickassan]

Those beetles eat decaying wood and leaves, he was probably drinking the blood "not the nicest thing, but he's a beetle they don't have kool-aid." The other chicks probably ganged up on that one, no telling why.