Did my chicken suffer a long time?

[New Chick In The Backyard]

I'm upset today, finding out that a beloved chicken, Mary, that I had given to a friend was attacked and killed last night. The chicken got her head bitten off. Do you think it lasted a few seconds or minutes? Are both possible? I just wonder if she suffered a lot. I will try to find out more details later today if there are any. Thanks.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

I guess even if it was quick she might have been scared and fighting for a long time? I dont know how chickens deal with predators.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

If it happened at night and the head was bitten off, Mary likely never saw the threat coming (chickens are nearly completely blind and helpless in the dark) and death was instant. Did you give your friend other chickens too? Do you know how the predator got to Mary? The predator that killed her will be back, which means any remaining chicken(s) are at high risk of future attacks.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

If it happened at night and the head was bitten off, Mary likely never saw the threat coming (chickens are nearly completely blind and helpless in the dark) and death was instant. Did you give your friend other chickens too? Do you know how the predator got to Mary? The predator that killed her will be back, which means any remaining chicken(s) are at high risk of future attacks.

Thank you. That brings me some comfort. He had 2 that I wanted and I had 2 each of 2 breeds so I exchanged them for 2 others and I also gave him a roo. He has a lot of chickens. I trusted him because everything seemed to be mostly above board and he was building new coops and everytime I'd bring something up he would fix/change it. I have since found out that he doesn't take care of his chickens like he had originally told me he did which is very upsetting. Lesson learned. He has my roo in a coop with tons of spaces between the wood pieces and told me rats and raccoons can't get to him because he is high off high ground. That's probably not true. I worry about him but cant keep him because I live in the city and I already have more chickens than I originally planned for. It's a lot of work and has gotten expensive. My babies have all the room and proper food, care etc. they need. I really wish there were laws or inspections of animals because some people really dont need to own any. He was changing some of his practices when he was trying to be with me romantically and I guess since that didn't happen he quit. Sigh. I dont know if he is telling me the truth or not because obviously he lies, but he told me he thinks a possum or raccoon squeezed between the metal roofing and the coop and got in. I can't really picture that since it has a top and the metal is screwed on top and it's new. I dont know but as I said lesson learned. I realized he was not even near acceptable for me when he bought 2 chickens and the guy he bought them from said they were eaten up with mites, you could see them crawling on them, and he took them home and put them in an already infested coop and had no plans to help them. That was enough evidence that he was completely unacceptable for me. I cant stand a cold hearted fool. Sorry for the rant. Thanks for the comfort and care.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Since u cant have a roo, & since roos are nearly impossible to find homes for, i think best you can do is hope the roo remains safe at his new home. Very sorry about Mary, but at least u figured out the guy's true character before any more mistakes were made.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

Since u cant have a roo, & since roos are nearly impossible to find homes for, i think best you can do is hope the roo remains safe at his new home. Very sorry about Mary, but at least u figured out the guy's true character before any more mistakes were made.

That's for sure. My standards are much higher. I think we are blessed to have animals and we should take care of them. When somebody doesn't try their best to take care of them it's pretty much a sin and the person certainly doesn't have a warm enough heart for me. Even God had the donkey Balaam speak to his owner and ask why he was beating him (that he had always been faithful to him). It speaks volumes to me. God bless. ❤

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

I pray that he doesn't find himself in a bad situation/health and in need of care and cant get it like these chickens. The thought of bugs biting them everywhere constantly, hurts me.

 

[cmom]

Years ago I sold some birds to a woman that lives in my area. I thought the birds would be well cared for too. After a few months she came over and asked if she could get more because a predator had gotten all of the birds. Stupid me I sold her some more. Another few months later it happened again so I said I would sell her a few more. How stupid could I be??? Another few months went by and it happened again. I told her I didn't have any birds to sell. We have a bimonthly farm swap at our local TSC. I took a few birds to sell. At the time I was doing some experimental Sex-Link breeding so I took a few to sell. She came up to me and wanted to buy the birds. I told her they were already sold. She walked off and I told a friend who was there and was also selling some birds of my experiences with her. She told him she was going to buy his birds and went off and said she would be back. She did not give him any deposit on the birds. We were packed up and ready to leave and here she comes wanting the birds but my friend had sold them actually when we were packing up getting ready to leave. He told the woman he sold them. Boy was she REALLY mad. He told her she hadn't come back and a buyer was there with the money, not a promise. Sometimes people say they want to buy some birds but never come back and we were ready to leave. Another lesson learned. I found out that she was just letting the birds free range and I don't think she even had a coop for them so the predators were picking them off. If I have any birds to sell now I take them to the swap and sell them. I have had people in the past want to buy birds and come to my place and try to go into the pens and pick out birds. I put a stop to that. Good luck...

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I pray that he doesn't find himself in a bad situation/health and in need of care and cant get it like these chickens. The thought of bugs biting them everywhere constantly, hurts me.

Try to let it go and not let the issue torture you, especially since you have decided you prefer to not have contact with that person.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Years ago I sold some birds to a woman that lives in my area. I thought the birds would be well cared for too. After a few months she came over and asked if she could get more because a predator had gotten all of the birds. Stupid me I sold her some more. Another few months later it happened again so I said I would sell her a few more. How stupid could I be??? Another few months went by and it happened again. I told her I didn't have any birds to sell. We have a bimonthly farm swap at our local TSC. I took a few birds to sell. At the time I was doing some experimental Sex-Link breeding so I took a few to sell. She came up to me and wanted to buy the birds. I told her they were already sold. She walked off and I told a friend who was there and was also selling some birds of my experiences with her. She told him she was going to buy his birds and went off and said she would be back. She did not give him any deposit on the birds. We were packed up and ready to leave and here she comes wanting the birds but my friend had sold them actually when we were packing up getting ready to leave. He told the woman he sold them. Boy was she REALLY mad. He told her she hadn't come back and a buyer was there with the money, not a promise. Sometimes people say they want to buy some birds but never come back and we were ready to leave. Another lesson learned. I found out that she was just letting the birds free range and I don't think she even had a coop for them so the predators were picking them off. If I have any birds to sell now I take them to the swap and sell them. I have had people in the past want to buy birds and come to my place and try to go into the pens and pick out birds. I put a stop to that. Good luck...

That has happened to me several times in the past too, when i sold point of lay pullets. Seemed people just didnt appreciate the time and effort i put forth to keep chicks safe as they grew, & didnt take proper precautions after they bought them. I still sell hatching eggs but no longer sell older pullets. I know how to keep my own chickens safe, & it hurt my heart to know that many of those i sold died not long after i sold them. How did i know? Because yep people came back wanting to buy more.