murder in the coop !!

[toomanydogs]

I have about 18 chickens including 2 roosters in a mixed flock. Everyone seems happy and healthy. Active, bright eyed and usually going about their chicken business. Today tho someone turned on one of the buff hens, did not know it at first but got home and went out to the run just in time to catch a roo in the process of finishing her off. don't know if he was the only culprit or if he had help. I have read that chickens will sometimes kill ea other but what are some of the reasons they might do such a thing. by the way these are our first chickens and I'm still learning about them. They have been together for about 4 months and the roos are just discovering they are boys. well ok I'm just discovering it, i thought they were all hens until about a month ago when Poncho started to crow and just in the last week or so the other one has discovered his manhood. it was the later one that dispatched the hen.


Lisa

 

[Darklingstorm]

The most common reason is over crowding and the other is an injury. Too many bird in one place and they fight for space. Also if a bird gets an injury, sometimes the others will peck the injured one to death, most chickens are attracted to the color red.

 

[shober]

First of all,

! You might not have enough room for that many chickens in you coop/run. They can turn into terrible creatures when overcrowded! Especially if and when blood is drawn. Good luck with your flock!

 

[toomanydogs]

Thanks for the replys. they have tons of room. It's an old dog area where the pooches stayed until we got the whole property fenced, about 40 feet wide by 150 feet long.

Lisa