Buckeye pullet massacre

[donnaboydjones]

I have 1 adult rooster, 2 cockerels, 5 hens and I did have 14 pullets, that have a almost 500 square foot chicken house with muti roosts and cabinets. I let them out every morning between 8-9 am and they free range (we have 10 acres) until they put themselves to roost where lately has been about 8:30pm.
This morning I went to let them out and went in the coop where I noticed a massive clump of feathers attached, almost looked looked like a feather duster, I was just about to walk out to see who had their feathers pulled out when I decided to head toward the pullet section of the coop and there she was, or what was left of my 41/2 mth old buckeye pullet. I had just recently got one of her itty bitty copper eggs and couldnt wait to see them as she got older.
Back to the murder I found, what would make them do this to her? She wasn't sick, nor did she have any wounds. I was just hanging in the yard with them yesterday evening and didn't notice anything odd about her. What's going to keep them from doing this to another? I have one Turken and I always worry about her cause of her featherless neck.

 

[HEChicken]

It sounds like the work of a predator to me.

 

[donnaboydjones]

It sounds like the work of a predator to me.

I wish it were , cause then id have a answer, but but my chicken house is fort knox! All windows are latched, doors are latched and nothing or no one can get in or out until I unlock the doors.

 

[HEChicken]

That just isn't something that chickens will do to one another. If there is a wound they will peck at it but they won't leave a pile of feathers somewhere and a dead chicken somewhere else.

When you said they free-range 10-acres, my first thought was that you live in an area with a lot of predators. I understand about the Fort Knox coop - mine is one as well, I hope - but....the damage you are describing just doesn't sound like what chickens will do to one another.

 

[donnaboydjones]

That just isn't something that chickens will do to one another.  If there is a wound they will peck at it but they won't leave a pile of feathers somewhere and a dead chicken somewhere else. 

When you said they free-range 10-acres, my first thought was that you live in an area with a lot of predators.  I understand about the Fort Knox coop - mine is one as well, I hope - but....the damage you are describing just doesn't sound like what chickens will do to one another.

There was only one puff of feathers that were together in the main part and the others where around the chicken in the pullet area. I just went back out there and did a look to see if there was anyway something could get in and there just isn't. The windows make a click when you lock them and I listen for that click when I lock them at night. I have three doors and they are latched at night and were when I let them out this morning.


One of the cockerels is overzealous with his loving and I'm looking for a home for him. He likes to pull their feathers and chase them and does not tire until he gets them. All I can think of is maybe he made a wound and they smelled it. I don't know and you could probably be right and it was a predator. There are many out here, but my farm dog usually deters them during the day, at night is a different story.

My coop has electricity, I should borrow a baby monitor and see what I find out. Not having a concrete answer bothers me. I mean, I can't stand the thought of them not having any way to get away from what ever is after them.

 

[HEChicken]

I do understand the unsettled feeling of not knowing. I built a Fort Knox coop thinking all of my predators were nocturnal so as long as they were safely locked up at night, we'd be okay. In addition to the coop, they have a chicken "yard" - not a pen - that is 240x60 and is surrounded by 5' welded wire fence. The fence is mainly to keep the chickens contained (DH and kids didn't want chicken poop on the back patio like at our old house) and to keep passing stray dogs out. I also have two dogs who are outside all the time. So I really thought they were safe.

Two weeks ago I had a predator attack. Only a short time after my last visit to see them I went out to find 14 dead bodies. DH and I walked the perimeter of the fence multiple times looking for holes, a place where it was dug under. Nothing. I hated not knowing what it was. The next day I spent almost the whole day there sitting in my lawn chair, figuring that now that it knew we were there, it would be back. Around 5:30pm I saw movement. It was a fox. It climbed the fence like it was a ladder. Up and over leaving no trace of where it came and went. That fox will not bother us again. And I've added a livestock guardian dog to protect the rest of the flock so that won't happen again.

I will say it was a relief to know what it was, even though the whole experience was devastating, so I understand what you are going through. I thought my dogs would deter predators but although one runs out and barks at people and the other loves to chase anything that moves, that fox got in and the dogs didn't alert me at all.

I suppose it is possible your roo was really rough on her and not only pulled out feathers but broke skin or even broke her neck and the others attacked at the sight of the blood but...I think it would be unusual for a flock to actually cause death in such a short span of time. They tend to pick and pick at a wound, for sure, but I would expect death to take longer to occur than just the time they are locked in the coop overnight, especially because as soon as it is dark enough they can't see the wound, they will forget about it.