My other chickens practically decapitated my 17 week baby cochin...

[kbadkins]

I feel so bad.. I had to have my neighbor ring her neck just a few minutes ago and I am just beside myself.. Its all my fault.. I was keeping her in a hutch inside the coop... separated from the others but someone it opened and the other chickens went in for the kill.. she suffered all day... I feel soooooo at fault......

someone please make me feel better

... I had no idea this would happen... I knew they were mean to her that is why I kept her separate... I am in tears that this little chicken was torchurde to death.... OMMMMGGGGG...

 

[erinm]

I'm sorry that happened. Chickens can be pretty mean to each other. Was she a new member of the flock? Don't beat yourself up so much. You put her out of her misery and helped her not suffer any longer. ErinM

 

[mypicklebird]

Think of chickens as small meat eating dinosaurs, they will attack and try to drive away intruding strange chickens and if the target chicken can't get away- they may severely injure or kill it. This is NORMAL chicken behavior, they are trying to protect their flock from outsiders. Funny looking stranger chickens are often even more targeted (polish, other crested breeds), or docile breeds that don't run away fast (like cochins). This was an ACCIDENT, so don't blame yourself for that (and don't blame the attacking chickens either- they are just being normal chickens)- but know for the future that introducing younger birds to an older established group can be dangerous. Many ways to do this, but if you have an aggressive breed or group, or single bird- sometimes you have to resort to all in- all out groups, or multiple pens.

 

[kbadkins]

thank you for your replies...

I am much better today... a whole night of tears and half of today.. I have come to grips.
It was an accident... a terrible one. I have learned a great deal and love my chickens soo much.
I am not mad at my chickens even a little bit.. I know it was normal .. it should have never happened. I am a somewhat newcomer to chickens (1 year) I had always planned to keep them separate but the door of the hutch opened somehow...

.... such a tragic loss..
I am just glad my neighbor was able to put her out of her misery...

missing my lil beauty...may she rest in peace.