Found one of my hens pecked to death

[Brittcity]

Cannibalism can be a problem if they are overcrowded, don’t get out to free range, are not getting enough protein in the diet, and it can happen with some more dominant breeds. What are they eating? Sorry for your loss.

I feed them fresh vegetables/fruits
Layer crumble, scratch, oyster shells, meal worms and a blend of seeds. (Obviously not all at once but Always feed crumble and the weeds ) I also pick grass and weeds and throw them in for them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Was she a new chicken in an established flock or did all the chickens come at the same time? I'm sorry this happened.

 

[Brittcity]

Was she a new chicken in an established flock or did all the chickens come at the same time? I'm sorry this happened.

They all came at the same time from the same place.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They all came at the same time from the same place.

Okay, so it's not like she's a new chicken that's just been introduced. Hmmm.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

It's possible they were stressed by the move. Going into a completely new environment, they'll have to establish pecking order all over again. Very stressful! Who knows what little thing set them off. If your victimized hen had any small injury showing red skin or blood, the others might have been attracted to that. If they perceive ANY weakness or illness in a member of the flock, it's not uncommon for that bird to be attacked and killed. They see that sickly or injured bird as a liability, and an attractant to predators.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I recommend you check all your other birds for any injuries, and if you find any, use Blu-Kote to treat the wound and disguise the color red.

 

[AGeese]

I feed them fresh vegetables/fruits
Layer crumble, scratch, oyster shells, meal worms and a blend of seeds. (Obviously not all at once but Always feed crumble and the weeds ) I also pick grass and weeds and throw them in for them.

If there's not enough space it doesn't matter what you do as far trying to entertain them. I learned pretty quick I wasn't going to have room for 6 in my 8x8 and it became even clearer when I had to introduce a new bird.

The pecking order is real.

 

[Sussex19]

Could it be that she died from something else and then they pecked her, rather than that being the cause of death?

 

[Brittcity]

Could it be that she died from something else and then they pecked her, rather than that being the cause of death?

I don’t think so? She was perfectly fine when I fed them and then I just randomly went out to check them and they were all on top of her pecking and scratching her ?