I'm sharing this story, hoping this will help others when considering when to introduce youngsters with adults and also securing coops to ensure the little ones can't slip through to older birds.
I just lost a beautiful 9 week old double tufted lavender araucana pullet. I found her almost lifeless body inside my adult araucana pen. She was beaten upon her head so bad, it was full of blood, swollen and no flesh left on it. This is what the adults did to her after she accidentally slipped into their pen.
I found how she gained access. She slipped through a small gap in the rear of the pen, where the runs are side by side, but do not attach to the house completely. I remember filling those gaps before (with rocks and such), but don't recall if this one was filled or how it was overlooked.
I saw about an 8 inch circle where they must have pounced on her as soon as she entered and started their torture of this poor little pullet. She somehow made it inside the coop (their coop) and had no escape. This is where I found her, bloody, beaten, cold to touch and almost dead. We decided to put her down to end her suffering.
I can only hope at least one person learns from my very sad experience and considers this potential occurence if you put your youngsters in an adult coop too soon. Also, make sure the gaps are all closed so they cannot gain access by accident. I completely blame myself for what happened to that poor little pullet and I know I have learned from it. Hard lesson to learn and always too late.
I just lost a beautiful 9 week old double tufted lavender araucana pullet. I found her almost lifeless body inside my adult araucana pen. She was beaten upon her head so bad, it was full of blood, swollen and no flesh left on it. This is what the adults did to her after she accidentally slipped into their pen.
I found how she gained access. She slipped through a small gap in the rear of the pen, where the runs are side by side, but do not attach to the house completely. I remember filling those gaps before (with rocks and such), but don't recall if this one was filled or how it was overlooked.
I saw about an 8 inch circle where they must have pounced on her as soon as she entered and started their torture of this poor little pullet. She somehow made it inside the coop (their coop) and had no escape. This is where I found her, bloody, beaten, cold to touch and almost dead. We decided to put her down to end her suffering.
I can only hope at least one person learns from my very sad experience and considers this potential occurence if you put your youngsters in an adult coop too soon. Also, make sure the gaps are all closed so they cannot gain access by accident. I completely blame myself for what happened to that poor little pullet and I know I have learned from it. Hard lesson to learn and always too late.
