I think my chickens are canabals

[K-Chick]

I added new 1 yr. olds to my flock, they are separated by a fence. 2 times this week I have found a dead chicken and the other chickens have ate it. these chickens are molting. Do you think they don't have enough protein and so they are eating each other? this is weird and gross. Any ideas? They free range in a fenced area.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

1. Do you think the new chickens brought a disease which caused the deaths? Or do you think it is a predator? Did you quarantine the new chickens? They can catch disease through a fence.
2. Molting chickens do need more protein generally, since the new feathers are forming. But if your feed is ok, then things should be fine. What are you feeding?
3. I have not had chickens to eat a dead flockmate. But if they are low on protein then I wouldn't be surprised, I suppose. I don't know what to tell you on that one.

I'm so sorry for your losses.

 

[Judy]

Are they also killing each other? Best approach would be to watch til you can identify the killer, whatever it is, or see that they die on their own. If the chickens are doing the killing, I doubt you will be able to stop it, but you can remove the guilty ones and hope the rest don't follow suit.

 

[Chris09]

What type of chickens are the older ones? (The one doing the killing)
What type of feed are yo feeding. (name and protein amount)

Chris

 

[K-Chick]

The older hens are RIR and ISA Browns, non have been aggressive before. It has to be in these new hens. They are golden comets, and when I go in the coop, there are several hens eating the carcus. Todays hen was totally gutted, so gross. I'll check my feed tomorrow on protein count and name and get back to you. They have been quarteened but not totally separated like in diff buildings. And I doubt if its a preditor, cause its only one chicken at a time and I haven't seen any signs of a preditor. And its in the late afternoon when I discover the dead hen. All is fine in the a.m.