Does anyone know what may have happened here?

[cackleberryandco]

Also pain is a message that slows us down and prevents further injury, not the great evil we make it out to be.

Raccoons are notorious for ripping heads off through chicken wire or wire fencing.. possible there was a near miss?? I've had 2 birds scalped and lived.


I also see pecking order as very VERY dynamic and was also thinking about mentioning it.


All my animals make trouble when they're bored. My kids did to.. and man, I'm about to raise some spring fever cane myself!

Hope she improves recovers quickly!

I thought about a raccoon, but I didn’t think a raccoon would try that in broad daylight with people around. Also, we have .5-inch hardware cloth, would a raccoon hand fit through that? And wouldn’t it bend somewhere?

 

[cackleberryandco]

I use straw and hay in my coop with no problems so don't worry about that. Whenever I clean the coop I throw a pile of the used bedding into the run for them to scratch through. Half of an old wooden ladder makes a great perch if you can find one-i have one of those in the run and a big closet dowel. My birds are in cramped quarters right now and they arent picking on each other. Maybe because of the extra perches and maybe because I have pretty docile breeds. I also give them wet feed every couple days in addition to their usual pellets but normally they only have one feeding station and do fine but if I suspect trouble (like right now one hen is hanging back a little occasionally) I add a feeding station. One fun thing a day seems to keep mine happy

Thank you this is super helpful!

 

[cackleberryandco]

You seem sure that it was not another hen, I just thought maybe to remind you that challenges to position in the flock are common, someone may have decided they wanted their day in the top spot. My top hen had half of her comb ripped off by a challenger (yes, it was a bloodbath, took me hours to clean all of the blood out of the coop). She did lose her spot as top hen. I hope that is not the case here and that her scratching is what did it but don't rule out the possibilities of a challenger, if she didn't lose her spot to another hen she could be in for another challenge in the future.

Definitely try some of the amusement ideas given here, they are all great fun for the girls!
good luck and keep us posted!

I guess you’re right. I do have a wyandotte who is the biggest in our flock and she is a big jerk, but she has never so much as looked at Peck. But I guess things could change, especially with their stressful environment. I was considering installing cameras, but I’ll need to save up on a few paychecks for that

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Also, we have .5-inch hardware cloth, would a raccoon hand fit through that?

That's effective against raccoons.

 

[Sylie]

I guess you’re right. I do have a wyandotte who is the biggest in our flock and she is a big jerk, but she has never so much as looked at Peck. But I guess things could change, especially with their stressful environment. I was considering installing cameras, but I’ll need to save up on a few paychecks for that

I hear you there, we have many raccoons in our neighborhood, I almost lost a duck to one a few years ago, I was able to save her and she lived another 3 yrs (she just died 2 weeks ago). I have wanted to install trail cams or security cams or something but they are just too expensive and maybe I'm just too old but they seem rather complicated to me, I tried a google home unit once and after 3 hours of fiddling I packed it away and it hasn't seen the light of day since hahaha!

how is she doing tonight?

 

[cackleberryandco]

I hear you there, we have many raccoons in our neighborhood, I almost lost a duck to one a few years ago, I was able to save her and she lived another 3 yrs (she just died 2 weeks ago). I have wanted to install trail cams or security cams or something but they are just too expensive and maybe I'm just too old but they seem rather complicated to me, I tried a google home unit once and after 3 hours of fiddling I packed it away and it hasn't seen the light of day since hahaha!

how is she doing tonight?

I wish I could say I am good with electronics but I'm just as bad with them

She's doing better! Eating and drinking more, still laying, I keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't get bothered and she seems to be faring well. I fear she's lost a bit of her "spark".. she no longer sings after an egg and she isn't bathing with her sisters anymore. But I'm hoping that will pass. She seems healthy & happy otherwise. No more droopy tails or standing in the same spot for hours

 

[Snowstormmoon]

I wish I could say I am good with electronics but I'm just as bad with them

She's doing better! Eating and drinking more, still laying, I keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't get bothered and she seems to be faring well. I fear she's lost a bit of her "spark".. she no longer sings after an egg and she isn't bathing with her sisters anymore. But I'm hoping that will pass. She seems healthy & happy otherwise. No more droopy tails or standing in the same spot for hours

Thats good! I hope she bonds with her sisters again, that can happen when they are separated for a bit.

 

[cackleberryandco]

Thats good! I hope she bonds with her sisters again, that can happen when they are separated for a bit.

Oh man, yeah I know, I had a little speckled Sussex back in September who got vicious sour crop and had to be separated for almost 2 months. Getting her to bond back with her sisters was disastrous and took forever. Good thing this won't be as bad

 

[cackleberryandco]

So… my speckled Sussex today has the same head wound. Bloody comb, bloody head, missing feathers. And she’s very bullied by my jerk hen, my biggest, a wyandotte. I guess I’ve got my culprit.

But, on a better note, we built a ton of new perches today and have a ton of new treats and toys coming in tomorrow. New foraging stuff too. Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

[the_kitchen__drawer]

So… my speckled Sussex today has the same head wound. Bloody comb, bloody head, missing feathers. And she’s very bullied by my jerk hen, my biggest, a wyandotte. I guess I’ve got my culprit.

But, on a better note, we built a ton of new perches today and have a ton of new treats and toys coming in tomorrow. New foraging stuff too. Thanks everyone for the tips!

rhis must have been so anxiety inducing. I’m glad it’s just a bully hen and not a real crafty predator! Would you mind sending pics of their run When you update it? I’m really interested in how you’ve changed it! Maybe because I want inspiration…