Pecking death :(

[Jarhead]

Had a little girl get pecked to death today. Not sure why they did it. They have a huge run and plenty of room in the coop. All of them were raised together. 7 weeks old. She was a bit smaller than the others kind of a runt. They pecked her head right apart. Guess it just happens sometimes.

 

[gritsar]

It does just happen sometimes.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[debilorrah]

That just sucks all the way around. You loved the ead guy and you love the ones that did it. Sucks.

 

[Jarhead]

It was odd. Checked on them and they were all acting normal foraging in the grass. Went around the house and watered a couple of plants. Came back around and they were all in a little huddle. When they saw me coming they all ran into a corner like they new they got busted. I did a quick head count and saw one was missing. Sure enough it was where they had been huddled. Basically her head was missing, and feathers scattered in about an 18" circle. After moving her around I found her beak in the dirt. She was still warm when I picked up her body. Sad day.

 

[debilorrah]

i am so sorry. We have been experimenting with integrating our chicks into the flock - not working so well, but no one has picked on the babies yet and today one went outside by itself. Progress, just not ready yet.

 

[gritsar]

Jarhead, are you absolutely sure something else (a predator) didn't get to her?

 

[ninjapoodles]

I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago, with a little "oddball" pullet, and I just posted the other day about a crippled pullet that we put down when it became obvious that the other birds were going to constantly abuse her. It's like they sense a weakness and go about removing that weakness from their community gene-pool. Both these incidents have occured during the day, during free-range time, so we can't blame crowding or anything like that.

I'm sorry you had that happen.

 

[Jarhead]

Sorry you had to deal with it to ninjapoodles. I think you are right they are culling the gene pool themselves.

Gritsar - positive no predators. There one minute came back a couple of minutes later she was getting pecked. I saw them do it. She was still warm when I picked up her body. The run is closed in, plus our dogs were in the backyard and no barking indicating an intruding critter.

 

[Maryallison77]

I am very sorry to hear your sad news, I even have tears in my eyes. I have 2 chciks that are 14 weeks old that the big girls are picking on and I got them out in time. They are growing feathers back and I hope maybe I can get them back together one day

 

[kinnip]

Sorry to hear that. I fear picking and cannibalism worse than any illness. There's just not much that can be done, and you've gotta forgive the perps. :aww