Chicken cannibalism

[brbg7]

Last night I put my chickens away and I counted everyone, all 17 of them, as I put them in their 12x12 secured coop. This morning I went to let my hens out and my leghorns were eating my batman frizzled hen. They had food and water. The frizzled hen wasn't sick or injured last night. So I'm unsure what caused this and how do I stop it? This is the 2nd time it has happened this week.

 

[Coopette]

I'm new to chickens and I had a similar issue a few weeks ago. All was fine and then one morning, one chicken's back by the tail was being eaten. I separated the injured chicken but still within view of the rest of the flock. I added more enrichment in case they were bored, clumps of grass with roots and dirt, hung cd's for something shiny for them to peck at, more interesting things to eat. When the chicken was healed, I put her back in with the rest of the gang and everything is going fine. They are approx 10 weeks old they all were raised together but haven't ventured outside yet.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Something is getting into your coop----like a possum, etc and killing the chicken, eating what it wants and leaves---then your chickens finish it up. Check your coop for a place a predator can enter. Set up a baby monitor if you are close to your coop or I can tell you what to use if you are alot farther away.

 

[CrowHollowFarm]

A group of birds will easily kill a small hen like a frizzle. Chickens love blood and if one gets a small injury they will all jump in like a buffet. That's why production birds in houses have their beaks burnt off.

 

[PD-Riverman]

The original poster says this has happen twice this week---Unless it was New hens just introduced----I feel a predator is getting in. Its not normal for Chickens to kill a live chicken and eat it unless the chicken gets hurt and bleeding.

 

[CrowHollowFarm]

They also said that the chick had been eaten near its tail and not killed. There is not a predator that I know of that will bite one chick and not kill it. Much less not bother any of the other chicks that are all in confinement together. Now I don't know how many chicks you have raised but they will pick each other and easily kill a chick in one day. And once they see a spot on each other it doesn't take long before they have it bloody, they don't need a injury. The original post just said the chick was injured.

 

[PD-Riverman]

They also said that the chick had been eaten near its tail and not killed. There is not a predator that I know of that will bite one chick and not kill it. Much less not bother any of the other chicks that are all in confinement together. Now I don't know how many chicks you have raised but they will pick each other and easily kill a chick in one day. And once they see a spot on each other it doesn't take long before they have it bloody, they don't need a injury. The original post just said the chick was injured.

I have raised alot of chick/chickens---67 pens, with more than 1200 at times, more than 1000 chicks at one time---Like I said A lot.

I was replying to the Original Poster----you are talking about something that happen with another person That replied. The Original Poster said the hen WAS NOT injured last night. Re-read the original post please.

 

[brbg7]

I'm positive no predators are getting in the coop. It's boarded up tight. When I built it I made sure nothing could get in. When I went in this morning another batman Cochin had her face pecked, down by her wattles. I rescued her and I'm doctoring her up. Tonight I'll remove the leghorns and put them in a different pen to see if that stops the murders.

 

[Chickassan]

I think that there will help out a whole lot. Leghorns can get a little bit pecky especially with smaller birds.And if it is indeed them once they've done it they will continue. Do your birds get to range any or are they strictly coop and run?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I'm positive no predators are getting in the coop. It's boarded up tight. When I built it I made sure nothing could get in. When I went in this morning another batman Cochin had her face pecked, down by her wattles. I rescued her and I'm doctoring her up. Tonight I'll remove the leghorns and put them in a different pen to see if that stops the murders.

How long have the Leghorns and the Cochins/frizzles been together? Do the leghorns bother them during the day?