Brahma chick apparently chased off the property by other chickens

[goats-n-oats]

Hi all, I got up from a nap today and found that two of my six 2-month old Brahma chicks were missing from their brooder, a 100-gallon tub. The brooder cover has been removed the last few days to let them explore the garage/coop. I found one of the chicks hiding behind the brooder, frozen in fear. The other I could not find, but found lots of little white feathers on the ground near the coop. Found more outside the garage (the chickens can slide under the garage door and roam the 1-acre front yard). One of the little white feathers had a bloody tip. I tried employing one of my Anatolian shepherds to find the chick, and interestingly, he took me across a drainage ditch that cuts across the property, which has water flowing through it, and there were lots of white feathers on the closer side of the ditch, and one little white feather on the other side. He then took me to my neighbor's property, looked around, then pointed to the neighbor's across the street, where I was not prepared to go due to an uncomfortable relationship with that neighbor. I'm just guessing the chicken left the property. I'm devastated. Is there any chance he will come back tonight?

 

[azygous]

Not when you saw that blood on those feathers. That chick won't ever be coming back. The surviving chick was trembling with fear because it saw the other one taken.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Not when you saw that blood on those feathers. That chick won't ever be coming back. The surviving chick was trembling with fear because it saw the other one taken.

Oh no! Is there any sense looking for him after dusk? maybe the white feathers will contrast the woods?
How can this be prevented in the future?

 

[azygous]

No sense in searching further. There would not have been a trail of bloody feathers over such a long distance if the chick wandered away. Chicks simply do not wander. They stick close to home when let out as you did. They have a powerful sense of vulnerability, and do not wander far from cover because they understand on a basic level of awareness that they are prey.

Over many years of keeping chickens and having my share of predators, the behavior of chickens after a predator snatches one of them is to go back to their run and huddle because they are afraid. That's another clue that a predator took the chick.

Until chicks have grown to full size, they should have a safe enclosure where no predator can get to them. It's okay to let them explore outside of the safe enclosure, but only if someone keeps an eye on them and watches for stray dogs, cats, owls, crows, ravens, possums, skunks, raccoons, bobcats, weasels, and foxes. And hawks. I've had hawks dive down and try to snatch full grown chickens standing right at my feet.

 

[goats-n-oats]

No sense in searching further. There would not have been a trail of bloody feathers over such a long distance if the chick wandered away. Chicks simply do not wander. They stick close to home when let out as you did. They have a powerful sense of vulnerability, and do not wander far from cover because they understand on a basic level of awareness that they are prey.

Over many years of keeping chickens and having my share of predators, the behavior of chickens after a predator snatches one of them is to go back to their run and huddle because they are afraid. That's another clue that a predator took the chick.

Until chicks have grown to full size, they should have a safe enclosure where no predator can get to them. It's okay to let them explore outside of the safe enclosure, but only if someone keeps an eye on them and watches for stray dogs, cats, owls, crows, ravens, possums, skunks, raccoons, bobcats, weasels, and foxes. And hawks. I've had hawks dive down and try to snatch full grown chickens standing right at my feet.

Ok thanks. Just to clarify, there was just one feather whose tip was bloody, and I just found another feather that was stained blue, where I sprayed his back last night with Wound-kote. I think he had been picked on already by the other chickens. I didn't know predators were active during the day here.

 

[azygous]

Even without any bloody feathers, the trail of feathers you described would not have occurred as a young chick took an innocent stroll across the yard and off the property. The chick had to have been "handled" by something and struggling in order to lose any feathers. How often have you seen feathers fall off a chick that is just walking around?

 

[WIchickMama]

I would agree with above, not going to be coming back, something took it away.

My thought is at 2 months, they are a little bit young to be exploring on their own in an unsecure area, but just my opinion.

Hopefully the rest are safe.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Oh my goodness! I just found her! Apparently she hung out by the ditch/creek all night, and I just saw her walking calmly in the bushes with some of the other hens. Missing all her tail and butt feathers. I'm guessing it was my 4 aggreesive juvenile roosters who attacked her. Chicken dinner. I will post pictures after charging my phone. Thank you for all your responses !

 

[azygous]

When this happens, it makes you believe in a Beneficent Being. But, I still would suspect a predator. This now sounds more like a bird of prey attacked her. Not the roosters. They wouldn't snatch tail feathers. Wounds inflicted by roosters are pecking wounds.

Small chickens, and even small dogs, are easy prey for hawks, which live everywhere. This is why chickens need cover (shelter) to run under when they spot a predator in the sky, and their vision is super acute to do so. Having things they can run under will save their lives. Trying to out run a hawk is futile most of the time,

I have had many situations such as yours where the chick or chicken turned up later. One of my adult chickens had such a close call as your chick when she was around that age. I was in the house next to my window when I saw an explosion of feathers and screeching. I knew in my bones I had just lost a chicken.

I ran out and found all my chickens huddling in the run, except for one. I looked all over, and I didn't see her. Just as I was giving up I found her huddled in the coop minus every single back feather, shaved clean as Uncle Bob's head. But not a single scratch on her.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

So glad you found her; she is a very lucky little girl! If her attacker was a bird of prey, and I agree it likely was since she was able to escape, it was probably a juvenile that was just learning to hunt. Lock her up and keep her safe until she gets bigger, especially during the winter months when predators are even more hungry and on the prowl. It's great that this story has a rare happy ending!