Hello again

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens glad you decided to join us here

 

[GottaHaveBirds]

Hi everyone and thanks for the welcome and concern about the chicks. They were two weeks old and in their own section of the coop away from the older layers (two months).

Unsure the motive for the killings, but we suspect it was territorial and need for meat. We baited it with meat in a trap and it went after the meat. Something deficient in its diet, maybe?

Apparently, red squirrels attacking and killing birds isn't abnormal in these parts.

The story is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/squirrel-killed-chicks.1316531/

 

[GottaHaveBirds]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
A red squirrel? Were they chicks?

Yes, a red squirrel and 2-week-old chicks. The squirrel was bold, but probably used to be around chickens (we have some 2 month-old-layers and had a flock of 3-year-olds until last month) and humans.

 

[GottaHaveBirds]

Welcome Sorry you lost those chooks.... that’s a lot for a squirrel to kill Glad you decided to join us!

Thank you. Yes, it was quite a shock to see four bodies (two headless) and five injured. I found another chick today that had some minor lacerations on its leg. Had I not seen the killer in action, I would have assumed the carnage was caused by a weasel.

 

[Mimi13]

Welcome to the Chicken Club! This is the place to be! You will learn more and laugh more than you ever thought possible! Well, and you might just shed a tear or two as you’ve unfortunately already done.

 

[GottaHaveBirds]

Welcome to the Chicken Club! This is the place to be! You will learn more and laugh more than you ever thought possible! Well, and you might just shed a tear or two as you’ve unfortunately already done.

Thank you.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks for the introduction!

I hope you find some nice threads to join.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

 

[CarpCharacin]

Welcome!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!