Hello from Australia

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mja89

mja89

In the Brooder
6 Years
Joined
Dec 3, 2013
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Location
NSW Australia
I consult this fantastic website frequently but I've only made my first post this morning.

I live in beautiful NSW Australia and until yesterday had a flock of three amazing pullets. We are now down to two- see my post in emergencies for the details. Either way our birds roam free all day in paradise, and we are so lucky to enjoy their company and antics everyday.

What a great community of chicken lovers this is, and I have gained a wealth of information from all your posts so far!

Any help on my post in emergencies would be appreciated!

400
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


I am so sorry for your loss. And yes, chickens can be cannibals. Sad but true. If there is an injury or should your hen have had prolapse or something, they could have eaten her and killed her. Don't think poorly of your flock. All chickens can do this. It is just the ways of the flock protecting itself from attracting predators.

You might be interested in chatting with your chicken neighbors in the Australian thread....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/598568/australia-six-states-and-that-funny-little-island

I wish you all the best in life and with your flock and we do welcome you to our flock as well!
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Thank you so much for your considered response and kind welcome @TwoCrows :thumbsup

Given her injuries I am thinking she might also have been done in by her sisters, but I guess ill never know. I appreciate that it is in their instinct to kill off weaker flock mates who might make them vulnerable, even if it is extreme and shocking to us. I have to say though as there were only three to begin with, the remaining two are a little lost on their ventures today lol. I guess that is what you get when you sacrifice a sister :tongue

I'm hoping to get another couple of chooks in the coming weeks- praying for successful integration :)

Thanks again for the advice!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your loss. While chickens will certainly cannibalize each other, with three hens that are not in an enclosed area and the scene you described, I would be a lot more worried that you have a predator problem. You might try posting in the Predator forum www.backyardchickens.com/f/13/predators-and-pests for ideas on what could have done it, and your area thread since you have predators we would not be familiar with in the US. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/18670/poultry-predator-identification
 
mja89 said:
Thank you so much for your considered response and kind welcome @TwoCrows
thumbsup.gif


Given her injuries I am thinking she might also have been done in by her sisters, but I guess ill never know. I appreciate that it is in their instinct to kill off weaker flock mates who might make them vulnerable, even if it is extreme and shocking to us. I have to say though as there were only three to begin with, the remaining two are a little lost on their ventures today lol. I guess that is what you get when you sacrifice a sister
tongue.gif


I'm hoping to get another couple of chooks in the coming weeks- praying for successful integration
smile.png


Thanks again for the advice!
Click to expand...
When you get these new birds, they will need to introduced slowly over several weeks time. Keep them behind a fence or cage them but keep them within the flock at all times. Everybody sees, nobody touches. After about 3 weeks, you can mix them in and it should go fairly well as much as the pecking order has been worked out. Watch them carefully that first day and the rest of that week. And always intervene if it turns bloody.

Good luck with your new birds!
 
Thanks for the welcome @drumstick diva :ya

@Kelsie2290 I thought originally I might also have a predator on my hands as we have owls and hawks in the area. I have ruled out owls as the attack happened at lunchtime, and I have all but ruled out hawks as she was found in a shrubby area with no flesh missing or wounds from talons- just the wounded head and vent.

Hence I am stumped and can only assume her flock mates have attacked her when she has joined them shortly after laying an egg.. I guess I'll never know unless heaven forbid it happens again :fl

@TwoCrows thanks for the advice- I am trying not to think poorly of my remaining girls as I know it is their instinct, and maybe they are in fact innocent (I am doubtful though lol!). I have been doing lots of reading on the threads regarding introducing new pullets to the existing [cannibals] I mean flock lol. I will be sure to allow them to meet without contact for a couple of weeks and keep my eye out for any nasty behavior.

Thanks again for all the support and I will keep you all posted how things go! :cool
 

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