13downto12
In the Brooder
- Jun 22, 2022
- 7
- 43
- 36
This morning, I let the chickens out of their coop, into their run, and all twelve were healthy and in stable condition.
This evening, when I went to put the chickens back in the coop, I found one chick dead and decapitated.
My run is made of 1/4" hardware cloth all the way round, with a metal, attached roof; the bottom is wired as well. Nothing was left open, there were no gaps or holes at all, and the body was in the center of the run.
This is the weird part: there was NO blood anywhere, no other injuries to the body, and NO signs of an attack, as if the head just magically came off. The head is GONE.
What could have happened? They were all fine this morning, so the attack must have occurred during the day. What would have fit through 1/4" made a clean removal of only the head, without blood or feathers, or any other signs of attack or injury to the body or the run? I doubt something could have reached in given the wire size and that the body was in the middle of the run. What was brazen enough to attack with a rooster on guard and a dozen chickens in the middle of the day?
What can I do to protect the rest of my flock?
For reference I am in S. California.
This evening, when I went to put the chickens back in the coop, I found one chick dead and decapitated.
My run is made of 1/4" hardware cloth all the way round, with a metal, attached roof; the bottom is wired as well. Nothing was left open, there were no gaps or holes at all, and the body was in the center of the run.
This is the weird part: there was NO blood anywhere, no other injuries to the body, and NO signs of an attack, as if the head just magically came off. The head is GONE.
What could have happened? They were all fine this morning, so the attack must have occurred during the day. What would have fit through 1/4" made a clean removal of only the head, without blood or feathers, or any other signs of attack or injury to the body or the run? I doubt something could have reached in given the wire size and that the body was in the middle of the run. What was brazen enough to attack with a rooster on guard and a dozen chickens in the middle of the day?
What can I do to protect the rest of my flock?
For reference I am in S. California.