I have 2 silver laced babies that are about 2 months old, and every day that I go into the coop, they have killed another chicken. I ended up putting them in with the big girls as I am sure they can hold their own. Im not sure what to think about this. Why are they doing it. The chickens they are killing off are healthy and friendly. No nearly as bold and bullish as they are. Did I do something wrong. I have absolutely had it with them. I also have 2 that I rescued last night and they spent the night in my room. The one was fine going back in and the other wanted no part of it. She keep jumping up to be with me and want to get out of there. I am sure it was tramatic. In the morning things are fine and in the afternoon when I go out, there is nothing but legs of the chicken they ate.
The first time its too bad. The second time is just not cool. The third time they're on the table dressed wtih stuffing and garlic.
I totally agree. I never had this problem before and now my new batch, they are horrible creatures. Too small for the table.
Oh wow I wish I had answers for you. are the ones being killed the same age as the SLWs? I had one of my SFs picked so badly her air sac was ruptured and she died but I have never had a chicken outright kill another one. I know if they see blood they will gang up on the bleeding one. Maybe only one is a bully and once she draws blood the other jumps in the picking. I am truly at a loss and wish I could help. I truly adore my SLW she holds her own if messed with but so non-aggressive. Hopefully someone will have experience with this and can help give you answers.
What age are the birds being killed? Are you sure they did it? That does not sound right. I've had several SLWs and one GLW and none have been aggressive like that.
do you have somewhere separate you could keep the killers until they are big enough to eat? Seems a shame to kill them while they are too small to eat, and it doesn't seem nice to rehome them to someone else who will have the same problem with them. You have absolutely no doubt in your mind that it is the two laced birds that are doing the killing?
How old are the ones they killed? Chickens will eat another chicken if it has died. They aren't real particular about where the meat comes from. If the other chicks had a broken area of skin or any injury it is an invite to the others to pick it. They will pick and peck until they kill the other. At the age of 2 months they are not old enough to hold their own with adult chickens. Adult chickens will attack them and once they have broken skin it won't stop. The adult chickens will kill them. The chicken world is a very cold cruel place. They do not play human rules so be very sure not to interject human behaviors and reasoning on them. I would lock those 2 in another pen and watch the current other chicks closely. I think something else is going on and you just haven't seen it yet.
Everyone is the with in a week of each other. I had 2 silver laced 1 silver penciled and one blrw and a coulple other breeds in there. They are not breed specific, but it would make sense that if one picked they would jump in. It makes me ill
I was warned not to get auracanas as they are fighters. I saw a crate of them, maybe 5, at a sale once pecking each other savagely and drawing blood. OK maybe someone had been stupid and mixed a batch for the sale, or maybe there just wasn`t enough space there and the stress of confinement made them crabby. Too little space makes my Welsumers fight.
If you are 100% sure they did it, get rid of them. Cull them, eat them, whatever. Because one day when they are big and strong, they are going to do one of two things. 1. They will go against other flock members and take care of them too or 2. they will blend in with the others until the day they see another smaller newbie in the flock and finish them off. I wouldn't tolerate it. Like it has been said, make sure there are no wounds and if the others are making them, seperate. I would attempt to witness it first, though. You really don't have a clue what happened if you aren't there. The thought of having some new babies and leaving them alone to only find their legs later on sickens me. But the thought of knowing other chicks have done it really gives me a head-ache. It can happen, and apparently, it has.
