Injured hen was reintegrated into the coop. Other chickens tried to eat her. We put her down.

[Animalfisherwoman]

Two of my hens got hit with a raccoon around mother's day. One survived. I nurtured her along with cottage cheese, soft mash after I saw her beak was gone. Observed that the other girls didn't seem to really bully her, not even in a feeding situation.

I made her coop with the other ones tonight. She didn't really want to, but what could they really do to her? I've never seen anything other than a couple of pecks.

At 3:15 a.m. our next-door neighbor called. He had heard her first, this chicken screaming. She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog. There were no predators in the coop. The predators had to be the other chickens.

There was no hope other than to end her suffering. SO did that.

I couldn't even look at the other ones letting them out today. No extra treats. Stay off the porch. I don't really care if you lay anything or not.

It could be the emotionalism of the moment, but nah I don't see myself getting more chickens. The six I got will live as long as they live, and they won't be replaced.

I'm burned out.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

At 3:15 a.m. our next-door neighbor called. He had heard her first, this chicken screaming. She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog. There were no predators in the coop. The predators had to be the other chickens.

There was no hope other than to end her suffering. SO did that.

I couldn't even look at the other ones letting them out today. No extra treats. Stay off the porch. I don't really care if you lay anything or not.

It could be the emotionalism of the moment, but nah I don't see myself getting more chickens. The six I got will live as long as they live, and they won't be replaced.

I'm burned out.

No feathers, no upset other chickens. It was them.

She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog.

I'm sorry for your loss.

At 3 am it's dark in the coop and the chickens are roosting correct?
I would have to say you likely have a predator. Yes, I do understand that chickens can attack and cannibalize one another, but that's usually after another chicken has been injured - they just sort of start picking at a wound or where blood is. Something attracts their interest, so they start picking.
Roosting chickens in the dark, generally can't see well enough to cannibalize another.

They don't understand punishment, so if you feel that you don't want them anymore, it's best to just go ahead and get rid of them now. Place an add on Craigslist, someone will take them off your hands.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Are you sure that the predator didn't get away before you arrived?
Without proper integration, even if they knew eachother before, these things can happen

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Well, chickens are attracted to red and it is part of nature’s way of getting rid of the weak, I am sorry for your loss, I know it’s hard. But on the bright side, as long as you make sure no one is sick in the flock, the other chickens won’t be able to cannibalize them. Also, many stories on BYC talk about how a really hurt chicken recovering fully, as in REALLY HURT, I mean like muscles are showing, lungs could be seen, skin missing, and chewed on. So it is possible for a hen to recover from such...but it is best not to put a hurt hen with others. Are you sure the other hens attacked her until she looked like she was chewed by a dog?

I'm sure. No feathers, no upset other chickens. It was them.

 

[ladybrasa]

As the others have said, chickens can peck each other to death, but at night it is super unlikely. They can’t hardly see at all. Maybe even worse than our night vision! I’ve seen chickens that don’t like each other side by side at night, and when I shine a light on them, then they realize who they are next to and peck. I have a mom hen that doesn’t like anyone else other than the two she hatched, but found one night other babies under her in the dark. Shined the light on the nest and she could see … moved the interlopers out quick before she pecked and injured them!

There is a list of predators somewhere on BYC that lists their MO - I think possum and something else just chews at the chicken while it sits there. I have also seen a possum and skunk get through wire fencing with about 1x2 inch opening. Or maybe 2x3 …. A really small opening anyway …

 

[cherrynberry]

Two of my hens got hit with a raccoon around mother's day. One survived. I nurtured her along with cottage cheese, soft mash after I saw her beak was gone. Observed that the other girls didn't seem to really bully her, not even in a feeding situation.

I made her coop with the other ones tonight. She didn't really want to, but what could they really do to her? I've never seen anything other than a couple of pecks.

At 3:15 a.m. our next-door neighbor called. He had heard her first, this chicken screaming. She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog. There were no predators in the coop. The predators had to be the other chickens.

There was no hope other than to end her suffering. SO did that.

I couldn't even look at the other ones letting them out today. No extra treats. Stay off the porch. I don't really care if you lay anything or not.

It could be the emotionalism of the moment, but nah I don't see myself getting more chickens. The six I got will live as long as they live, and they won't be replaced.

I'm burned out.

Well, chickens are attracted to red and it is part of nature’s way of getting rid of the weak, I am sorry for your loss, I know it’s hard. But on the bright side, as long as you make sure no one is sick in the flock, the other chickens won’t be able to cannibalize them. Also, many stories on BYC talk about how a really hurt chicken recovering fully, as in REALLY HURT, I mean like muscles are showing, lungs could be seen, skin missing, and chewed on. So it is possible for a hen to recover from such...but it is best not to put a hurt hen with others. Are you sure the other hens attacked her until she looked like she was chewed by a dog?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Two of my hens got hit with a raccoon around mother's day. One survived. I nurtured her along with cottage cheese, soft mash after I saw her beak was gone. Observed that the other girls didn't seem to really bully her, not even in a feeding situation.

I made her coop with the other ones tonight. She didn't really want to, but what could they really do to her? I've never seen anything other than a couple of pecks.

At 3:15 a.m. our next-door neighbor called. He had heard her first, this chicken screaming. She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog. There were no predators in the coop. The predators had to be the other chickens.

There was no hope other than to end her suffering. SO did that.

I couldn't even look at the other ones letting them out today. No extra treats. Stay off the porch. I don't really care if you lay anything or not.

It could be the emotionalism of the moment, but nah I don't see myself getting more chickens. The six I got will live as long as they live, and they won't be replaced.

I'm burned out.

I once had Barred Rock hens cannibalize the RIR rooster I put with them. They new each other. It just happened out of the blue. They ate him from the back end, & hollowed him out.

This was only a one time incident, & it's to be expected. I'm still owning chickens, this incident happened about 10, or so years ago. Hard to remember exactly.

It's always traumatizing, when you first experience it, I understand that.

 

[dennisma1]

Two of my hens got hit with a raccoon around mother's day. One survived. I nurtured her along with cottage cheese, soft mash after I saw her beak was gone. Observed that the other girls didn't seem to really bully her, not even in a feeding situation.

I made her coop with the other ones tonight. She didn't really want to, but what could they really do to her? I've never seen anything other than a couple of pecks.

At 3:15 a.m. our next-door neighbor called. He had heard her first, this chicken screaming. She had a wound that looked close to what I have seen inflicted by a dog. There were no predators in the coop. The predators had to be the other chickens.

There was no hope other than to end her suffering. SO did that.

I couldn't even look at the other ones letting them out today. No extra treats. Stay off the porch. I don't really care if you lay anything or not.

It could be the emotionalism of the moment, but nah I don't see myself getting more chickens. The six I got will live as long as they live, and they won't be replaced.

I'm burned out.

I'm so sorry to hear that. What breed? That does seem unusual. My chickens always seem concerned for sick flock members. I'd feel the same way if I just spent time nursing one back to health.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Did you do proper integration or just put them together?

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

She was a rescue Easter Egger. Henopausal. But like I said, I didn't see them pick on her by day.

The rest of them--hyline, rir, marans, easter egger, gamebird, and the other is pure mutt.