My rooster killed a swift!!?

[The Happster]

I am absolutely horrified.
My lovely rooster, Pumpkin just murdered a swift in front of my eyes.

Swifts often get stuck in our barns and coops. This morning I went to let three girls into a pen and there were 5 stuck in there! There are big gaps where they can get out, near the roof. But they always fly against the chicken wire.
Well today, one flew against the wire at chicken height. Pumpkin was outside the pen, I was inside giving the girls some food.

Pumpkin ran over to the swift and with one peck knocked it down where it writhed on the floor.
I ran out just to stop him going for it again.

I held him and watched the swift, thinking he might be ok. That's when I saw blood gushing from what looked like the neck.
I knew there was no way it would live.

My dad took its body and disposed of it. He told me it wasn't the neck. It was the eye.
My rooster must have pecked the eye, and then the bird had a fit.


Absolutely disgusted with Pumpkin. He does have a young chick he is looking after. Maybe he thought he was protecting it.

 

[sourland]

Just a rooster following his instincts. They don't reason like us - it's instinctive.

 

[Suzz]

Chicken are not vegetarians I have seen them quickly devour remains the cats left behind try feeding them little bits of meat its like the dinosaurs have returned they are voracious !!

 

[Gallinarium]

My broody hen went after any bird that got too close to her chicks, even the little ones. She didn't actually get any, though. Chickens might just be too overprotective.

 

[The Happster]

Well I know they aren't vegetarians.
Only, seeing a gentle giant cockerel murder a swift like that...
He is under house arrest.
Bread and water for him. (He loves bread....)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

He saw either a prey opportunity or a potential danger to his hens. It's like when they hunt and kill snakes and mice

 

[The Happster]

It didn't look like protection.
He acted how he does when I give him food. Say an apple that can roll.
Casual, not aggressive, but following the food.

None of mine have ever killed anything bigger than a baby slow worm.
I've seen them running around with mice tails that the cat left. But not actually killing something. And it was a tiny bird!

 

[aart]

He is under house arrest.
Bread and water for him. (He loves bread....)

Why bread, when he obviously needed some animal protein?

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

My cockerel chases birds all the time, none have ever been harmed. I can't say my cock is gentle though, Probobly saw it as a threat, or something off, most likely he tried to scare it, and accedentily killed it.

 

[neo71665]

I woulda let him have it.