grannys gone and done it

[campingshaws]

What would make adult hens turn on a 12-week chick that was hatched in their coop? It was the nicest one, of course. I let them out this morning and found the carcass, just bones and feathers. Body cavity is picked clean. They have plenty of food and water in the run. The chick was fine last night.

 

[enola]

Are you sure a cat didn't kill the chick and then the chickens cleaned the carcass the rest of the way?

I ask because that happened to me.

 

[Suzierd]

What would make adult hens turn on a 12-week chick that was hatched in their coop? It was the nicest one, of course. I let them out this morning and found the carcass, just bones and feathers. Body cavity is picked clean. They have plenty of food and water in the run. The chick was fine last night.

Oh no poor peep, very sorry to hear

 

[campingshaws]

The run was locked. The coop is open to the run. The top of the run is fenced, too. Maybe a weasel, though. I don't think much else could fit through the fencing. I didn't see any holes for something larger.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

do you have rooster in there and was the chick a roo ? they know way before we do and sometimes the head roo will dispose of baby roos. weasel would of ate the head. I think thats how it goes anyway.

 

[campingshaws]

There's a roo, but one of the other juvie chicks (there were four) is DEFINITELY a roo.

The brown one is the one they killed.

 

[enola]

Was he alive when you locked them up last night? And then he was dead this morning? What time did you let them out?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

what plucks and eat the insides ? rat? do you have mice ? mice wont stay where a rat is. I noticed its all chicken wire right ?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

if you still have the carcass and a small trap i would set it .

 

[Watermelon123]

Camping, right now, I am leaning towards opossum. They tend to only kill one or two birds at a time and only eat the abdomen.