Injured Hen, Culled (WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

[Smuvers Farm]

I know this may sound gross, but do you have a live trap? If you do, I would bait it with what the coon left of the poor girl it killed. That is how I caught the coon that killed my roosters. Once caught, dispatch the killer.

No live trap... but look what thread popped up!: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-pro-tips-on-trapping-removing-raccoons.1214909/

Hilarious!!!

 

[orrpeople]

We had a similar event...we have a converted horse trailer that serves as a coop for my 55 Flowery Hens. We normally allow our dogs full access to coops at night, but they had been barking so much that we locked them on the deck. A raccoon took full advantage of this and reached his little hand in the less than 2" wide opening under the doors. He grabbed a leg and began to eat. .. Pulling as much bird as he could through that tiny opening and devouring it. When I finally got out to the coop, there were feathers everywhere and a poor, barely alive hen missing most of a leg and some breast meat. It was truly horrifying, and my heart goes out to you - and anyone - who has to deal with the aftermath of these grisly attacks. We also culled our hen (well, my dh did - Who sadly, gets the brunt of all the mortician duties here.)
Here's hoping for no more attacks!

 

[Sipplchicks]

I put a small game trap cage type outside my run. Can of tuna is good and stinky raccoons love it.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I am thinking of getting one of those coon traps where they stick their paw in and can't get away.

 

[Runt of the Flock]

Something got to our Brat Pack. Took off with one, we found one with head and neck and feathers, but interior gone, and one severely injured:

View attachment 1232377

Basically, her complete back end had been eaten off, and she was limping, almost a hobble. She was making squeaky noises. We fed her and then I performed a cervical dislocation.

View attachment 1232379 View attachment 1232380

This is my first cull of a full grown chicken (I had to previously euthanize a chick), so I'm a little shaken up... a little teary... but I'm OK.

JSYK... my 8.5 year old PIC was there and witnessed this.

we had something similar happen. think it was weasel.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Time for obtuse ness..... what the heck should I do with the chicken bodies now???

 

[Rubysword]

Me and my family burn ours.

 

[BantyChooks]

Thanks. I hadn't mentally prepared myself yet, but ending the suffering of an animal outweighs any discomfort I am going through. PS. I feel like throwing up.



Gotcha! Never hide when correcting me. I take all training I can get. This old dog WILL learn new tricks.... with that, all I did was follow a youtube video I saw previously, and this exact thing happened.. and they called it cervical dislocation. I did NOT mean to rip her head off, I swear... but I didn't want her to suffer either.

PS. I REALLY need to throw up.

Pretty common to see it called CD, if I can guess right from the rake nearby you put her head under & pulled? That can perform CD if you set it just right, but if it isn't it just takes the head off. Both ways (CD & decapitation) are a really quick lights out for the birdy, so don't worry.

If you hadn't taken the head off, I don't think it would have worked. When the pressure is that far down there's no joint to dislocate, and if you do manage to break just the neck it's a much slower death for the bird. I've spent way more hours researching this than any normal person.. lol. I needed to be 100% sure of method before I tried it on any of mine.

Go vomit if you need to, just not all over me.

Time for obtuse ness..... what the heck should I do with the chicken bodies now???

I just chuck them over a ridge out in the woods. Speaking of which, you reminded me I really need to find a new dump site... I've decided the current one is too close to the coop.

 

[JasperMoon]

I'm upset for you, honnesty I'd say put up a trap and kill the darn chicken killer

Something got to our Brat Pack. Took off with one, we found one with head and neck and feathers, but interior gone, and one severely injured:

View attachment 1232377

Basically, her complete back end had been eaten off, and she was limping, almost a hobble. She was making squeaky noises. We fed her and then I performed a cervical dislocation.

View attachment 1232379 View attachment 1232380

This is my first cull of a full grown chicken (I had to previously euthanize a chick), so I'm a little shaken up... a little teary... but I'm OK.

JSYK... my 8.5 year old PIC was there and witnessed this.

 

[sourland]

Well done on your part to end her life quickly. Did this happen during the day or at night. Regardless, protect the survivors, and get a box trap just in case it is a coon indeed. Whatever it was will return and try to get at the rest of your flock. Good luck in deterring the predator.