dead chickens. Canabalism

[usmcpilot06]

Will they kill and eat each other? There is no way for anything to get into my coup. I have lost 15 chickens in 5 months. Two ast night. One gal is limping. I shot three ferrel cays the last two days. It is becoming a nightmare. I have walked in several mornings early, just at light and found the chickens eating the remains.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens will cannibalize each other. It usually from a severe protein deficiency. Sometimes it's from crowding and boredom. Sometimes birds just die, and chickens will peck at them.

Mink and weasel can squeeze through some tiny holes.

Can you share the size of your set up, and what you feed? Maybe some pictures?

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

Chickens will cannibalize each other. It usually from a severe protein deficiency. Sometimes it's from crowding and boredom. Sometimes birds just die, and chickens will peck at them.

Mink and weasel can squeeze through some tiny holes.

Can you share the size of your set up, and what you feed? Maybe some pictures?

X2

 

[centrarchid]

Pictures of kills and how they are housed? What are you feeding the chickens and how much? How have you been storing the feed?

 

[usmcpilot06]

12 x 12 area in my barn, I store feed in a plastic garbage can with a lid. I get my feed from the local feed store, crumbles. They have a bowl of Oyster shells in the pen. The head, inards and some of the bird are eaten. I have seen a cat in my yard around 10:30 pm. I have roosts up high and the birds hide in the pockets in the ceiling joists. It is getting to the point that it is a nightly thing. Every morning a dead bird. I only have three birds left. The free range all day and nothing bothers them. The pen is covered with plywood to 4 feet them 2 x 3 fence wire on the rest. It is all coming off today and being replaced with steel.

 

[centrarchid]

If feed quality good then, then cannibalism not likely. Roosting in ceiling joist should be protection from gut eater I know, the opossum.

Many critters go after head and opossum does not do so consistently. The Great Horned Owl does like going after the head and the owl has a hard time moving a large carcass any distance. The owl could get a chicken off the joist. Can an owl get in by flying or walking? If you identify an opening accessible by owl, then consider placing a patch of deer netting over it.

Does the carcass have a wet look to it as if rolled about and slobbered on while consumed?

I have resorted to putting what is essentially a night light in my barn. Chickens can see predator to evade critters like raccoon and opossum. With owl, chickens can give louder alarm that might be acted upon by someone, dogs here and I do sometimes. I am also partial to using a game camera in barn and will train it on a carcass killed by a predator that I leave in place found. Most instances the predator will go back to previous kill to do more consuming before making another kill. Owls real good about that.

Pictures still good.

 

[centrarchid]

If free-range, no cannibalism

 

[50-45-1]

There is no way for anything to get into my coup.

I aggree that something is getting in your coop. Are you sure there are no gaps or holes? A weasel can fit through a hole you might think only a mouse could.
I am so sorry about your birds.

 

[usmcpilot06]

I have never seen a weasel where I live. Coons are abundant and so are cats.
And so is my 223 ammo supply. I am putting on my night vision scope and sitting in wait starting tonight. I have plenty on leg hold traps. I hate killing other animals like this but it has to be done.

 

[Cryss]

Just because you don't see a weasel doesn't mean it's not about. 1/2 inch hardware cloth is your friend. If critters can't get in they will move on to an easier meal. Right now your flock is the easiest meal. It's their favorite restaurant. They'll be back.