No pics, just a somewhat graphic description, so if this might trouble you, you may excuse yourself now. We don't lose birds often so this surprised me, it was during daylight hours, probably between noon and two pm. We are isolated, no near neighbors, so not a dog. Conditions were quite cold, overcast and beginning to snow, very light, thin flurries that won't amount to much. I looked out my kitchen window and saw what appeared to be my not-quite year-old rooster, Littlejohn, lying still and dead. This was about 2:30. I grabbed a jacket and went out to check. This is the graphic part. Some of his tail feathers were pulled off, lying right behind him, and about half his head was eaten, starting with the eye. Does this sound like the work of a red-tailed hawk who killed him and then was unable to carry him away? I have seen a RTH in the vicinity lately. The only other daytime predators we usually experience are raccoons, but they typically show up around dusk and carry the birds through the fence. This was closer to the middle of the big yard. It wasn't time to free-range yet. I usually let them out about 3:00.
All the birds were huddled in the smaller pen and hen house with the older rooster, Silverwings. I think he hustled the girls to safety while Littlejohn did battle from the rear. Sigh. Now I need to find another good roo as backup for Silver. I'll be keeping everyone in the two little pens for a while until the RTH moves on again.
Thanks, I think I just wanted to talk about it. Now I'm sad. Anybody near me have a spare rooster that's not a jerk?
All the birds were huddled in the smaller pen and hen house with the older rooster, Silverwings. I think he hustled the girls to safety while Littlejohn did battle from the rear. Sigh. Now I need to find another good roo as backup for Silver. I'll be keeping everyone in the two little pens for a while until the RTH moves on again.
Thanks, I think I just wanted to talk about it. Now I'm sad. Anybody near me have a spare rooster that's not a jerk?