LABElle1225
Songster
- Jun 23, 2018
- 164
- 253
- 126
Someone or something is starting major drama in my flock.
18 laying hens, 2 four month old Brahma cockerels, 4 Black Star pullets (separate), 3 cockerels (desperate to be included but separate)
Nothing has changed in the last few weeks but we have total chaos daily. Everyone’s happily singing, dancing, laying all morning and grazing mid day but come late afternoon / early evening feathers fly, nasty clucks, and as of yesterday escalated to murder.
We’ve had the 4 pullets separated from the flock but out of the house for around 4 months but the crew has seen and been around them -while supervised. Not too bad at those times - a BO pecked one, RIR, BR, Red Stars chased them around a bit.
Our barn houses our coops - 6 converted horse stalls. Last week while cleaning coops I had an emergency and ran to the house. I had latched the lower door but missed the upper. In the 10 minutes I was away the wind blew open the upper and a RIR flew in by the pullets. I heard them screaming and the RIR growl - clucking but was able to intervene before anyone was hurt.
Yesterday was a beautiful day and as I have done in the past put the pullets in a small run just outside the barn. I was in the house but had an unobstructed view of them and periodically went down to check on them, feed, water, and collect eggs.
Shortly after 4 pm I saw the RIRs, Red Stars, BRs, and possibly BO(sun bleached coloring from the side is similar to the Stars) around the small run and heard screams. The largest and friendliest pullet was down. She somehow I’m assuming out of curiosity put her head thru a gap near the door and one or more of the hens nearly decapitated her. It was one thick deep cut on the side of the neck, not multiple, onus a handful of feathers on the ground. Thankfully she passed instantly and did not suffer. I didn’t actually witness the attack so I’m wondering what behaviors might be a red flag or clue to the attacker.
While I was moving the surviving 3 pullets to a secure area a few of my kindest girls (Brahma, cemani, and Cochin) went after some suspects and would not let any of the flock near the body. The BO got past and started to peck the neck wound and the other suspects kept inching closer. I had a complete breakdown while attempting to remove Pink from the area and the kind girl group laid down in the grass by me.
I’m concerned my kind girls behavior appeared compassionate but was evil. Is my BO a canabillistic demon? What am I missing?
Our top pecking order is the Brahma and she has never shown aggression. She allows all to eat beside her whether it’s at a food tray, hand fed snack time, or grazing. She’s normally very good at shutting down drama and very protective of the smaller birds.
We’ve had aggression issues with the RIRs, Barred Rocks here there but more like a crabby peck than mean, Red Stars all the time but mostly about food. IMO because they were in those low ceiling chicken tractors the first 6 months of life.
These days at dinner it’s common hear a scream, look out, and see a chicken running away from nothing. Bedtime is filled with squaks, shrieks, flapping wings, and pecking on the roosts.
We added cameras (night vision and sound) with motion alert to the security system in barn, coops, sides, and behind but unfortunately not (front) facing house this past spring. They are all sleeping soundly. No predators, strange noises, or other spookies.
I’ve checked them all for pests and parasites. Coop cleaning/dusting all the same products. No changes in foods or even containers.
I’m totally stumped. What/Who is causing all things evil to infect my flock????
18 laying hens, 2 four month old Brahma cockerels, 4 Black Star pullets (separate), 3 cockerels (desperate to be included but separate)
Nothing has changed in the last few weeks but we have total chaos daily. Everyone’s happily singing, dancing, laying all morning and grazing mid day but come late afternoon / early evening feathers fly, nasty clucks, and as of yesterday escalated to murder.
We’ve had the 4 pullets separated from the flock but out of the house for around 4 months but the crew has seen and been around them -while supervised. Not too bad at those times - a BO pecked one, RIR, BR, Red Stars chased them around a bit.
Our barn houses our coops - 6 converted horse stalls. Last week while cleaning coops I had an emergency and ran to the house. I had latched the lower door but missed the upper. In the 10 minutes I was away the wind blew open the upper and a RIR flew in by the pullets. I heard them screaming and the RIR growl - clucking but was able to intervene before anyone was hurt.
Yesterday was a beautiful day and as I have done in the past put the pullets in a small run just outside the barn. I was in the house but had an unobstructed view of them and periodically went down to check on them, feed, water, and collect eggs.
Shortly after 4 pm I saw the RIRs, Red Stars, BRs, and possibly BO(sun bleached coloring from the side is similar to the Stars) around the small run and heard screams. The largest and friendliest pullet was down. She somehow I’m assuming out of curiosity put her head thru a gap near the door and one or more of the hens nearly decapitated her. It was one thick deep cut on the side of the neck, not multiple, onus a handful of feathers on the ground. Thankfully she passed instantly and did not suffer. I didn’t actually witness the attack so I’m wondering what behaviors might be a red flag or clue to the attacker.
While I was moving the surviving 3 pullets to a secure area a few of my kindest girls (Brahma, cemani, and Cochin) went after some suspects and would not let any of the flock near the body. The BO got past and started to peck the neck wound and the other suspects kept inching closer. I had a complete breakdown while attempting to remove Pink from the area and the kind girl group laid down in the grass by me.
I’m concerned my kind girls behavior appeared compassionate but was evil. Is my BO a canabillistic demon? What am I missing?
Our top pecking order is the Brahma and she has never shown aggression. She allows all to eat beside her whether it’s at a food tray, hand fed snack time, or grazing. She’s normally very good at shutting down drama and very protective of the smaller birds.
We’ve had aggression issues with the RIRs, Barred Rocks here there but more like a crabby peck than mean, Red Stars all the time but mostly about food. IMO because they were in those low ceiling chicken tractors the first 6 months of life.
These days at dinner it’s common hear a scream, look out, and see a chicken running away from nothing. Bedtime is filled with squaks, shrieks, flapping wings, and pecking on the roosts.
We added cameras (night vision and sound) with motion alert to the security system in barn, coops, sides, and behind but unfortunately not (front) facing house this past spring. They are all sleeping soundly. No predators, strange noises, or other spookies.
I’ve checked them all for pests and parasites. Coop cleaning/dusting all the same products. No changes in foods or even containers.
I’m totally stumped. What/Who is causing all things evil to infect my flock????
