Michigan

[SillyChicken]

Anyone affected by the fire in the UP?

 

[Olive Hill]

Plenty of predators kill without intent to eat. I've personally watched a fox play kill-the-chicken in my own yard. Weasels/Minks will usually feast on at least one of their victims but routinely leave behind far more casualties than they have use for. I'd suspect one or the other is probably responsible for your problems, Eeyore. And because of the damage to the head/neck of the one bird, I'd lean towards the mink/weasel. That damage is a signature of their kills. Unfortunately, that means the live trap probably won't be of much use. You'll probably catch other stuff, of course, but they avoid live traps like champs, IME.

I wouldn't suspect an Opossum, because they usually kill by mauling. All of the casualties would likely have visible damage.

Likewise, I wouldn't suspect a coon because they usually go in under the wing or through the abdomen. Every so often they'll attack the head, but it's not their preferred method if they have access to the whole bird.

My NOTMeaties..complete with Naked Butt..

Ha! Not only a notmeatie, a notmeatie ROO! Lucky you. Wait'll he gets too big for his britches. Feels like a 25 lb bowling ball slamming into your legs. Those boys are SOLID.

 

[teeville5]

We Have Movement!

I decided to give candling a try because I was thinking perhaps we were wrong, but we were only partially wrong. Of the 13 eggs, 4 look to not have development, but the other 9 do and we saw actual little chicks in the light and they were moving. 2 in particular were really moving a lot in their eggs. My youngest DD was with me and she was so excited. It was such an awesome thing to see. What a neat surprise first time experience.

 

[EeyoreD]

Plenty of predators kill without intent to eat. I've personally watched a fox play kill-the-chicken in my own yard. Weasels/Minks will usually feast on at least one of their victims but routinely leave behind far more casualties than they have use for. I'd suspect one or the other is probably responsible for your problems, Eeyore. And because of the damage to the head/neck of the one bird, I'd lean towards the mink/weasel. That damage is a signature of their kills. Unfortunately, that means the live trap probably won't be of much use. You'll probably catch other stuff, of course, but they avoid live traps like champs, IME.

I wouldn't suspect an Opossum, because they usually kill by mauling. All of the casualties would likely have visible damage.

Likewise, I wouldn't suspect a coon because they usually go in under the wing or through the abdomen. Every so often they'll attack the head, but it's not their preferred method if they have access to the whole bird.

I thought minks/weasels were pure carnivores. Whatever's been hanging around out there is at least as interested in the chicken feed as the chickens. Also while one was missing a head at least one was also disembowled and pretty much in two pieces. Please tell me I don't have multiple predators teaming up on me.

The live trap is pants. Bait snaked out, no trip of the trap. Signs of digging outside the hardware cloth near where it got in before (though obviously 2 feet farther out, the blocks held it down better and up against the coop). Not sure if it was scared off by me coming out to check or it decided it wasn't worth it. Checked an hour later, no further signs of digging in that spot or anywhere else.

 

[EeyoreD]

We Have Movement!

I decided to give candling a try because I was thinking perhaps we were wrong, but we were only partially wrong. Of the 13 eggs, 4 look to not have development, but the other 9 do and we saw actual little chicks in the light and they were moving. 2 in particular were really moving a lot in their eggs. My youngest DD was with me and she was so excited. It was such an awesome thing to see. What a neat surprise first time experience.

YAY!!!!! How exciting!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Ironic, since i have successfully helped others through providing links to helpful info, but my bumblefoot case is not responding to treatment. I am tired, and desperate, so i posted this in the emergency section.

The gist of it is that this wound is wanting to infect itself, and is festering despite everything i have done...... If any of you have any type of wound experience, i would appreciate any help i can get.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/670000/bumblefoot-not-healing-well

My girl is still full of spirit, but if she does die from this i'd at least like her foot to "heal" and get a scab at least.

 

[Olive Hill]

I thought minks/weasels were pure carnivores.

Meh. Most "carnivores" are really just opportunists. They might prefer meat, but they'll eat what they can get.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

No footprint yet? Look around tomorrow for turds. Gross, but every animal has a different "kind". That's sad, i never had a chicken killed that wasn't dinner. Course DH got revenge for me, but still........ It was oddly comforting in a way to know that it was out of a survival instinct that it was done.

So Possoms kill chickens too? I just had this discussion tonight, DH didn't think so, i thought they might. He said they were scavangars.

 

[Olive Hill]

Fuzzy - You don't mention antiobiotics in your post. Have you administered some?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

no, just triple antibiotic ointment smeared in there. I have seen references to injecting penicillin into it in it's early stages, but at this point her poor foot pad is a cavernous hole.