PLEASE HELP ME! Face being eaten? Beaks gone???? Help! GRAPHIC PICS!!!

[TammyP]

I own snakes, not to seem rude (which really I am not

- though I'm told on the subject of snakes, I sound condescending, which I really don't mean to be!!! ) I own snakes, and am an avid reptile enthusiast. Snakes (any snake) have strong stomach acid (like that of a raptor bird) inside the stomach only. your colubrids (non venomous - north american snakes) do not carry any special acidic enzyme in the saliva or mouth that deteriorates flesh - so it couldn't be a colubrid like a ratsnake, cornsnake, fox snake, gopher snake, etc etc etc (we have a LONG LONG list of colubrids in the US) - anyway, most venomous snakes are ambush predators, and if they DO pick a victim, they strike fast with the venom, and then go about their way and wait for their prey to die, then go and try to eat it. Venomous "front fanged" snakes do not constrict their prey or actively go searching it out, unless starving and its easy. (most venomous snakes are heavy bodied, and are lazy ambush predators ) The exception tends to be the rear fanged venomous snakes - coral and hognose snakes which have to chew to inject venom not just strike like a rattler or a copperhead)...rear fanged - will pull the victims alive, while injecting venom and start swallowing alive.

With this said these injuries definately couldn't be inflicted by a snake.

I am convinced the predator culprit is a possum.

Guess I watched too many movies in my younger years.... sorry.

Good to know the truth.

Blessings!

~Tammy​

 

[quetsweyo]

Havent seen anything since last night, hope you are ok. There are some creative ideas out there. Moles, worms, snakes, chupacabra? I guess by now what you need is some rest. Good hunting, q

 

[geosheets]

wow, what a terrible thing to have to deal with. I have had birds with broken beaks and it seems the closer to the face, the more they bleed. At first glance I would also think a predator like coon or opossum but, the lack of blood is confusing. I'm wondering if these birds might have sustained some sort of prior injury that has effected the blood supply to the beaks which would cause the beaks to die and fall off. Also seems odd that it would happen to so many in such a short time frame if that was the case... unless there is something in their coop/pen that multiple birds could have damaged their beaks on. I hope you find some answers soon.

 

[pheasantfrenzie]

That is awful. Try putting cameras in your pen and record what is happening and then you should know. Radio Shack has alot of little things like that or try a baby monitor.
Good Luck

 

[jerseygirl1]

Quote:
Snakes are everywhere - some areas just more so than others, but looking at her yard, I'm sure she gets her fair share of slithery visitors, wether she sees them or not

Quote:
I own snakes, not to seem rude (which really I am not

- though I'm told on the subject of snakes, I sound condescending, which I really don't mean to be!!! ) I own snakes, and am an avid reptile enthusiast. Snakes (any snake) have strong stomach acid (like that of a raptor bird) inside the stomach only. your colubrids (non venomous - north american snakes) do not carry any special acidic enzyme in the saliva or mouth that deteriorates flesh - so it couldn't be a colubrid like a ratsnake, cornsnake, fox snake, gopher snake, etc etc etc (we have a LONG LONG list of colubrids in the US) - anyway, most venomous snakes are ambush predators, and if they DO pick a victim, they strike fast with the venom, and then go about their way and wait for their prey to die, then go and try to eat it. Venomous "front fanged" snakes do not constrict their prey or actively go searching it out, unless starving and its easy. (most venomous snakes are heavy bodied, and are lazy ambush predators ) The exception tends to be the rear fanged venomous snakes - coral and hognose snakes which have to chew to inject venom not just strike like a rattler or a copperhead)...rear fanged - will pull the victims alive, while injecting venom and start swallowing alive.

With this said these injuries definately couldn't be inflicted by a snake.

I am convinced the predator culprit is a possum.

Very impressive and good to know! THank you, not to get off topic

Anyway, if you lived closer, I would loan you my game camera, works quite well

 

[schellie69]

So sorry for you and your birds, my guess would be rat, they can get in and out of very small holes. I would clean out the coop and look very close for small holes any where in the coop since the silkies sit on the floor the rats could come through the chicken wire or through a spot in the roof or floor. make sure there are no gaps any where in the coops. I am sorry this happened but I am going to say rats they are very smart animals I know I have owned one and they can learn tricks quicker then most dogs. Good luck and I pray you don't have any more losses.

 

[unourroll]

try setting up a motion light or camera triggered by motion and see what you get.

 

[FireTigeris]

How many are left?

Anymore news?

 

[Pickaduck]

Checking in for updates.. I hope everything is okay!!

 

[TriciaHowe]

I went through something similar a couple of years ago but my culprit was my guinea keets attacking my chicks and pecking their beaks off.... Obviously not an issue in your case.
Do you have any BYC members near you? Maybe they have a game cam or trap you could borrow? Wish you were in FL I would run both of them over to you....

Hoping you don't lose anymore

Also just thought that I think some animal control places rent humane traps for a small fee. Maybe you could rent one?