Beware of new predator

[whychicksmatter]

Has anyone ever heard of a crow attacking a chicken? Since spring has finally come to our area, we let our chickens out to enjoy the sunshine for the summer in their 6 ft. enclosed chain link fenced pen. We left putting the mesh top on to keep flying predators out for a few days not thinking anything would happen. Heard a lot of roosters kicking up a big fuss & upon investigation later that day found that my last Silver Pencilled Wyandotte had been attacked by a crow who was still going at her when my husband went in the pen. The brave roosters were cowered in a corner along with the other hens. This was a heavy, quiet hen. The crow pulled out her feathers and cut the skin on her back in several places. I placed some warmed honey on the cuts & separated her from the rest. Unfortunately, she didn't make it. So the netting went on the top that evening; alas, procrastination had consequences for my poor hen.

 

[microchick]

Whow! Just....Whow!

I'm so sorry for the loss of your hen and no, I have never heard of a crow attacking a flock under any circumstances. Many many crows around here but I do not free range and do have my run covered with netting.

Thank you for alerting us to this new threat

 

[Chickassan]

Nope, never heard of a crow attacking a healthy grown hen. Chicks yes, sickly chickens yes. Odd your males did nothing against something so small in their territory, perhaps there was an issue you were unaware of?

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes, I have heard of a gang attack by crows on a single hen, IIRC, the hen was killed. It's not common for them to attack full grown birds, but they will pick off chicks. And I had 3 nests of robins fledge last summer. Every single one was picked off by crows within 50' of the nest. They sat vigil when they knew the babies were ready to fledge.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Very odd indeed.

I have not had one attacked by crows BUT I have seen the nesting crows bringing in young cottontail and squirrels.



I am very sorry you lost your gal.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Crows are opportunistic and they are killers. In free range situation, your hen will simply run off and the crow will not bother. But in the situation you describe, the hen was apparently trapped. I have a question abut the honey... What would anyone put warm honey on open wounds? That is not supported by anything I have ever read or heard...... that is like smearing them with pure sugar and then leaving them out for ants and flies.

 

[lazy gardener]

That was my reaction when I first heard of honey for wound treatment.

You have been reading in the wrong places! There is now a product on the market called "MediHoney". Of course it is now on the market b/c there was not enough profit margin from using plain honey. I have a doctor friend who is director at the fairly large practice she manages. She has a patient who had a nasty decubitus ulcer that had been resistant to all conventional treatment methods for over a year. The family, with this doctor's blessing started treating the patient's wound themselves with honey, and it healed in record time.

Honey has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties, and provides a good wound covering as well as nourishment for the new growth of tissue.

 

[meetthebubus]

So sorry! Poor hen

My pullets are always amazed at the black birds they are larger than my roosters they run to the fence to see them like little kids run to see the trash truck thankfully we have the 360

 

[PouleChick]

I'm so sorry for your hen but thank you for the warning!

That was my reaction when I first heard of honey for wound treatment.

You have been reading in the wrong places! There is now a product on the market called "MediHoney". Of course it is now on the market b/c there was not enough profit margin from using plain honey. I have a doctor friend who is director at the fairly large practice she manages. She has a patient who had a nasty decubitus ulcer that had been resistant to all conventional treatment methods for over a year. The family, with this doctor's blessing started treating the patient's wound themselves with honey, and it healed in record time.

Honey has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties, and provides a good wound covering as well as nourishment for the new growth of tissue.

Well said! We looked at a lot of case studies when I was at uni doing nursing with honey an many other 'natural / alternative' things that work as well or better than the expensive western med equivalents. Unfortunately there is no money to be made by 'Big Pharma' with things like honey so there are few trails done! There is a fantastic book called 'Honey, mud and Maggots' which is a wonder insight into it!

 

[lazy gardener]

Maggots were also used by the old timers for wound debridement.