I went out to collect eggs and check on water, especially with how hot it's been and my chicks tendency to spill. At first, it all seemed normal.
Then I noticed the feathers.
Lots of feathers, and even a clump of some bloodied feathers that had fallen into their food dish. At first, I didn't see them. I did a headcount. I counted the locked up rooster (he's become mean and was actively hurting my hens), the 17 chicks still safe in their personal enclosure, 3 broody birds, and five hens walking around as if nothing had happened. 2 of my birds were missing. And then I found them.
It was... a mess. 1 was in the yard laying in a corner of it. and the other, was behind the coop, between it and the wall of the enclosure. They were partially eaten and then just left there.
We cleaned everything up, and I'm sad to see two of my 1yr old hens go like that. We were looking to start culling our older birds, but these were still young hens in their prime.
Now we've got to do what we can to protect the rest of the birds. But what exactly, I'm not sure.
We're going to lock them in the enclosure, no more yard time for a long while. I pulled the coop away from the wall so maybe they won't be pulled and trapped there again. But I'm worried that this predator won't be stopped by that. The enclosure is secured from above and below, but I guess the gaps are still too wide and would allow a raccoon to reach in and grab a hen. (I think it's a raccoon or maybe several, but it is my first time actually dealing with something eating my chickens so I could be wrong)
I wish I could let my rooster do his job of protecting the hens and soon to hatch chicks, but he's not. We let him out again and immediately had to lock him up again as he started attacking one of the hens causing her to bleed. We patched her up, but geez. This was all we needed.
Then I noticed the feathers.
Lots of feathers, and even a clump of some bloodied feathers that had fallen into their food dish. At first, I didn't see them. I did a headcount. I counted the locked up rooster (he's become mean and was actively hurting my hens), the 17 chicks still safe in their personal enclosure, 3 broody birds, and five hens walking around as if nothing had happened. 2 of my birds were missing. And then I found them.
It was... a mess. 1 was in the yard laying in a corner of it. and the other, was behind the coop, between it and the wall of the enclosure. They were partially eaten and then just left there.
We cleaned everything up, and I'm sad to see two of my 1yr old hens go like that. We were looking to start culling our older birds, but these were still young hens in their prime.
Now we've got to do what we can to protect the rest of the birds. But what exactly, I'm not sure.
We're going to lock them in the enclosure, no more yard time for a long while. I pulled the coop away from the wall so maybe they won't be pulled and trapped there again. But I'm worried that this predator won't be stopped by that. The enclosure is secured from above and below, but I guess the gaps are still too wide and would allow a raccoon to reach in and grab a hen. (I think it's a raccoon or maybe several, but it is my first time actually dealing with something eating my chickens so I could be wrong)
I wish I could let my rooster do his job of protecting the hens and soon to hatch chicks, but he's not. We let him out again and immediately had to lock him up again as he started attacking one of the hens causing her to bleed. We patched her up, but geez. This was all we needed.