RebelEgger
Free Ranging
Sorry in advance for one of those posts with very little information but asking for advice 
I will give a little winded back story so you can try to understand why I do with my flock what I do.
I'm in Nova Scotia, we currently have an outbreak of avian influenza, although if you search for updates nothing comes up since February. However, due to this, I had been keeping my flock of 5 locked up in their coop & run (15' 5" x 5' 8") 24/7, when prior to that they were out free-ranging through the woods daily. Everything had been going very well but a couple of weeks ago I saw signs of boredom, the rooster, in particular, was starting to pick on the younger ladies, pecking their combs. Nothing major, no damage, but being a jerk. Then Sunday night when I went o lock them in the coop for night, Gladys and Ethel came out to greet m as they usually do and poor Ethel was covered in blood, the run looked like a crime scene, her comb was bleeding from being picked at. She ended up coming into the people's coop to have a sponge bath, some special treats, and a sleepover. That night I decided I was going to risk it and let them back out to range.
So they have been out happily free-ranging all week, a harmonious little flock. My husband even sent me this picture while I was at work yesterday of them in our upper field, with Phillip on the lookout while his girls sunned themselves.
Last night I didn't get home until about 8:45pm, it was dark. I went up to the coop to lock them up as my husband hadn't done this yet. I peeked inside, everyone was roosting, nothing seemed out of order. Except now that I think of it, Glady's and Ethel did not come out of the coop or even off the roost to greet me, which never happens. Every night I have to tell them to go back to bed.
This morning when I got up, I could hear the crows outside making a racket so I looked out the window to our front lawn (the coop is in the back lawn) and I can see them all crowded around, even from the distance, what looked like a bunch of feathers. So I went up to first let the chickens out, the 2 young girls came out to greet me first like they usually do, the 2 older girls didn't rush out. I grabbed a rake and went down to see what the crows were interested in, and along the way, I am seeing feathers here and there in our driveway and all the way down to what is definitely feathers. Phillip feathers.
I ran back up to the coop because I could not remember if he came out this morning - he was there, mind you, he looked like he didn't have his big beautiful tail feathers as much and some saddle feathers. The 2 older girls were still hesitant to come out of the coop. I opened up the big coop door and the floor was covered in Phillip feathers. I walked back down to the pile of his feathers, I saw no blood anywhere outside or in the coop. He appears to be fine other than some missing feathers. I am going to attempt to examine him but he doesn't like being handled. He's not mean, he's just not social which has been fine for our relationship. By the time I went back to the coop again, everyone was outside and happily pecking around.
I have to say I am feeling pretty proud of him this morning for protecting his girls, it took a while for him to come into his own. I adopted him last fall as an older boy, he 3. We used to call him the useless rooster, not anymore. Prince Phillip has proved his worth. (Below is a pic of him from couple months ago)
So my question - what would have grabbed him and just took feathers? A raccoon? We are surrounded by woods, we live by a river. Whatever did this, I feel it obviously went inside the coop and started the attack there. Questions? Comments?
*Edit to say: in 2 years if having chickens this is the first time I have dealt with predators*
If you got this far, thanks for reading my ramble.
I will give a little winded back story so you can try to understand why I do with my flock what I do.
I'm in Nova Scotia, we currently have an outbreak of avian influenza, although if you search for updates nothing comes up since February. However, due to this, I had been keeping my flock of 5 locked up in their coop & run (15' 5" x 5' 8") 24/7, when prior to that they were out free-ranging through the woods daily. Everything had been going very well but a couple of weeks ago I saw signs of boredom, the rooster, in particular, was starting to pick on the younger ladies, pecking their combs. Nothing major, no damage, but being a jerk. Then Sunday night when I went o lock them in the coop for night, Gladys and Ethel came out to greet m as they usually do and poor Ethel was covered in blood, the run looked like a crime scene, her comb was bleeding from being picked at. She ended up coming into the people's coop to have a sponge bath, some special treats, and a sleepover. That night I decided I was going to risk it and let them back out to range.
So they have been out happily free-ranging all week, a harmonious little flock. My husband even sent me this picture while I was at work yesterday of them in our upper field, with Phillip on the lookout while his girls sunned themselves.
Last night I didn't get home until about 8:45pm, it was dark. I went up to the coop to lock them up as my husband hadn't done this yet. I peeked inside, everyone was roosting, nothing seemed out of order. Except now that I think of it, Glady's and Ethel did not come out of the coop or even off the roost to greet me, which never happens. Every night I have to tell them to go back to bed.
This morning when I got up, I could hear the crows outside making a racket so I looked out the window to our front lawn (the coop is in the back lawn) and I can see them all crowded around, even from the distance, what looked like a bunch of feathers. So I went up to first let the chickens out, the 2 young girls came out to greet me first like they usually do, the 2 older girls didn't rush out. I grabbed a rake and went down to see what the crows were interested in, and along the way, I am seeing feathers here and there in our driveway and all the way down to what is definitely feathers. Phillip feathers.
I ran back up to the coop because I could not remember if he came out this morning - he was there, mind you, he looked like he didn't have his big beautiful tail feathers as much and some saddle feathers. The 2 older girls were still hesitant to come out of the coop. I opened up the big coop door and the floor was covered in Phillip feathers. I walked back down to the pile of his feathers, I saw no blood anywhere outside or in the coop. He appears to be fine other than some missing feathers. I am going to attempt to examine him but he doesn't like being handled. He's not mean, he's just not social which has been fine for our relationship. By the time I went back to the coop again, everyone was outside and happily pecking around.
I have to say I am feeling pretty proud of him this morning for protecting his girls, it took a while for him to come into his own. I adopted him last fall as an older boy, he 3. We used to call him the useless rooster, not anymore. Prince Phillip has proved his worth. (Below is a pic of him from couple months ago)
So my question - what would have grabbed him and just took feathers? A raccoon? We are surrounded by woods, we live by a river. Whatever did this, I feel it obviously went inside the coop and started the attack there. Questions? Comments?
*Edit to say: in 2 years if having chickens this is the first time I have dealt with predators*
If you got this far, thanks for reading my ramble.
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