WE used to have 3 chochins hens and now we are down to 1. I believe that is started when someone dumped a male chinese goose in the canal and he found his way to the only female that survived, (I live in Miami) and there are a lot of 2 legged predators around.
After a few weeks I saw the geese mating in the canal and the female started laying eggs. Thats when the problem begins, I never actually caught the goose doing it,. My chickens started having thier feathers pulled out on thier neck and back.
Has anyone else seen this, I'm guessing that they would squat in front of the goose and he would try and mount them and while doing this his claws would dig into their back and tear the skin.
the last 2 hens looked like they got into a fight with freddy cruger. Both died from thier injuries. We have had the chickens for 3 yrs now and although I have a dog she has never botherd the chickens so I don't think its the dog. SHe a little old fat mutt who reallyl likes to lay in the sun and under the boat in the dirt. Not agressive at all.
I'm sticking too the goose as the murderer, the geese have access to the yard via the canal I have no fence and the chickens free range in the back yard. I took away the geeses little pool and will stop feeding them in the back yard.
any advice or anything
thanks
TGP
After a few weeks I saw the geese mating in the canal and the female started laying eggs. Thats when the problem begins, I never actually caught the goose doing it,. My chickens started having thier feathers pulled out on thier neck and back.
Has anyone else seen this, I'm guessing that they would squat in front of the goose and he would try and mount them and while doing this his claws would dig into their back and tear the skin.
the last 2 hens looked like they got into a fight with freddy cruger. Both died from thier injuries. We have had the chickens for 3 yrs now and although I have a dog she has never botherd the chickens so I don't think its the dog. SHe a little old fat mutt who reallyl likes to lay in the sun and under the boat in the dirt. Not agressive at all.
I'm sticking too the goose as the murderer, the geese have access to the yard via the canal I have no fence and the chickens free range in the back yard. I took away the geeses little pool and will stop feeding them in the back yard.
any advice or anything
thanks
TGP
