Injury? or Attack?

GingerRose

Crowing
Apr 1, 2022
1,054
5,443
496
Alpine, Alabama
This did not happen to my rooster, but to a good friend of mine rooster..
She firmly believes he did this to himself.

He was lifeless, on the ground, at the door of the coop.
Its a 20x30 (guessing, 2 panels across and 3 panels deep) chain link panel, outdoor dog kennel. It has shade and sun. It is covered for aerial protection with wire, has metal covering back half and it has a nice shelter (house) from weather, attached to the outside of the chain. The shelter has nesting boxes, roosts, entertainment, food and water inside. Outdoor part has entertainment, treat areas, roosts, covered dust bathing and water. and these chickens are very well taken care of (spoiled) and she loves them. Im pretty sure she uses snake preventing powder, but I didnt ask her this morning. I would think she would do whatever she needed to do in order to keep them safe.

I gave her 3 Light Brahma pullets and a white silkie cockeral. She has had them about 2 months now and Cotton has just started crowing. They are all developing their own personalities.
These are her first chickens ever, she is in her 50s. Grown son and no grand kids. These chickens bring her so much happiness, just like the rest of us and ours.

She has been telling me how she lets them out every day to roam around her yard. I know her very well and she would be checking on them (probably too often) throughout the day.
She sends me photos and videos all the time, very happy and excited with her chickens. We talk every day on the phone.

She noticed a week ago her cockeral was at the coop door acting like he wanted OUT! She changed her approach to the coop from another direction, hoping he would not be so anticipatory. She was afraid he was going to hurt himself doing this.

Two nights ago, around 2-ish a.m. her cockeral, Cotton, was in a panic, noisy, in the coop, at the door... Like he was wanting OUT!!! Poking his head in and out of the chain links very fast and sort of hard, she stated to me.
She got her husband to come out with a spotlight and he saw a baby possum in the yard, kind of close to the coop, but it was very small and not IN the coop.
Okay..
A few hours later that morning, which would be yesterday morning, sunny outside, around 7 a.m. She went out as her usual routine.
Cotton was again, at the door, poking his head in and out, same as when the baby possum was around.
She thought he was just wanting OUT, like he saw her coming and he was "anticipating" her opening the door to let them out for the day...
She has already changed her route to the coop a week ago......
She let them out as usual.
They go in and out throughout the day as they wish.. Go back inside the coop like they should for the night. She didnt hear any commotion last night.

So, yesterday afternoon, she talked to her husband about wrapping the lower half of the coop with a smaller wire to keep Cotton from doing this, in fear he was going to hurt himself. They decided they would reinforce the coop half way down with ½" hardware cloth. They were/are supposed to do this today.
This morning she went out as usual, taking her old route to the coop and Cotton was laying at the door.
She called me crying and told me she believes he did this to himself, like she thought he would.

She told me there were feathers from his neck all around and he has some abrasions to his neck where the feathers came from.

My first thought was SNAKE attack and fail. Only leaving Cotton lifeless.

She does not believe this...

I have never heard of any fowl harming themselves in this way.. Im sure its possible..

I asked her to take some photos of Cotton and send them to me.
I dont know if she can (emotionally)
She has some emotional concerns within herself.
I may have to go and take some photos myself...
She lives an hour away, and I may have to go help her anyway. (talk her off the so called "ledge")
She is very upset like this is her fault. "bad chicken mama" is what she said.

We always install smaller wire sround the botton half of our coops. Not because i ever thought THIS could happen, because we have chicks occasionally and we dont want them getting out their coop or even into another coop.
My peafowl (male and oldest female) has been known to kill and eat a chick or two at times.. Their whole coop is reinforced, top to bottom.

Has anyone had this happen to their chickens, or even heard of this happening?
 
It's very unlikely that a bird could kill himself by sticking his head through chain link unless it was a very small mesh. I think it is more likely that something grabbed him. If it was a snake, his head and neck would be saliva coated.
 
It's very unlikely that a bird could kill himself by sticking his head through chain link unless it was a very small mesh. I think it is more likely that something grabbed him. If it was a snake, his head and neck would be saliva coated.
Sourland, I agree with you 100% and I even argued this with her. She is adamant it wasnt a snake. Thats why I asked for photos. I did not ask about snake deterrent though.
She knows I had a snake a few weeks ago and I told her how important to keep repellant out and fresh.
She loves these chickens and has done everything for them.
 

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