Injured chicken/weasel attack questions

[higginskzoo]

I had four 13-week old chickens living outside in a small coop/run adjacent to my main chicken run until ready to integrate into main flock. This morning I found one dead and another slightly injured and traumatized from what I think was a weasel. Brought injured bird inside as it is freezing here in Michigan and she was huddled on sand in corner of run and not moving around. Injuries seem fairly minor, her neck is sore and she has a small wound with I have sprayed with antibiotic. I think (hope) I have found the weasel entry point to small coop and closed it up.

Injured bird seems to be perking up inside where it is warm. My question is whether to keep injured bird inside by herself for a few days or if I should bring her two sisters inside for company. I nursed an injured bird inside alone for several weeks last year and remember others bullied her when I put her back with flock. I have room that I could put a divider between she and her sisters inside if pecking could be an issue? Wasn’t sure also about any potential issues with moving birds back and forth between warm house and freezing outdoors.

Final question is whether I should cage my big girls in their run and try to trap weasel? Their run is not huge (21x4 for 9 hens) as they free range so I worry about pecking if I keep them penned in too much. Will weasels attack full sized chickens during the daytime? (New larger run was supposed to be built this week but foot of snow this week has delayed things! )

 

[nchls school]

I'd bring the other 2 in. The injured bird will do better with company; if there isn't any bullying and the three get along well. Be sure to clean off the injured bird so there is no red areas or oozing wound for the others to peck at.
Yes, hungry weasels may attack grown chickens. Be on the alert until you know the predator problem has been taken care of.

 

[higginskzoo]

Ok thanks. Everyone is locked up in runs. When I have time later today I will clean up Bernadette and bring Penny and Amy inside for sleepover. Then i’ll bait my trap!

 

[nchls school]

Good luck in catching the weasel. Be sure to observe the chickens when they are reunited. It's unfortunate that sick and injured birds are often bullied by those that they got along with previously.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Really do need a bigger coop before birds are added hardware cloth is the only thing to protect from weasel

 

[higginskzoo]

Agreed. New run will be 20x25 all hardware cloth which I hope will be fine for my now 12 birds? Hiring job out since I am a sixty year old lady and save my bad back back for all my gardening projects! So hard to find people to do random jobs. Guy has been saying he’d build it since the summer. He finally bought materials last week and then came the snow. Really wishing I had an in house handyman!