Should I kill him? Update: she didn't make it

[chickenfever]

My BO hen died during the night. The EE hen was OK and was cuddled up next to her

I will try watching the flock today, but I really think it was my BA rooster. I put him outside of the chicken yard because I have an appointment this morning and I didn't want him to possibly hurt anyone else.
Why do chickens do this? My shipment of chicks is supposed to be shipped from Ideal today. I almost feel like I shouldn't have chickens anymore. One of my EE hens just up and dissapeared two weeks ago, I havn't seen her since. I just feel so dissheartened.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I am so sorry she didn't make it.

Please, don't beat yourself up though, this isn't your fault and it sounds like you are doing everything possible to keep them happy. Sometimes things happen.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

I am sooooo sorry!

I was really hoping she would be ok.

This is just something that happens sometimes. But I know SOOO MUCH how you feel. When we first got our chickens over a yr ago there was a point when I felt like something was always "going wrong" and I didnt even want to continue, but it's worth it to stick with it, I know the low you have when something bad happens to one of your chickens after you put so much time and love into them, it isnt your fault, it just happens. Don't give up on them, and be eggcited about your new fuzzy babies that are coming!!

We where told when we first got chickens to not be suprized if you lose 5% of them due to "natural occurances". In over a year we have lost 3. One to a head injury, one to a hawk, and one died in transit the first day we got them....but I would never give up on my flock. They are a wonderful part of my family and my whole family loves them!

~Tiff~


Sorry for all the misspellings (it's early)
As for number of hens to roosters, I like at least 1 to 15 or 20 (but thats just me) and we have no problems with eggs being fertile. So the % if hens to our one rooster is just fine.

 

[chickenfever]

Thanks guys.
I just got home and checked on my EE hen that I had also separated. She actually isn't doing too good. One of her wings looks like it is drooping. She doesn't seem like she is eating or drinking so I tried putting her back in the chicken yard thinking she may do better back with the girls. She couldn't even get up the stairs to the coop.

So now I'm really wondering what happened yesterday. I had let the chickens free range all day while I was gone to work. Could a predator have done this? The feathers on the chickens backs look so matted and wierd.

 

[mypicklebird]

Roosters will pull feathers off of hen's backs, but they usually don't hurt them like that.
You ask about predators- hawks can cause damage to the back and head, dogs randomly bite, things like foxes/coyotes/bobcats- the birds just disappear.

Probably you have an aggressive hen or hens which is pecking the others (look up cannibalism) this usually happens with too many birds in too small an area with nothing interesting to do. Almost never happens with free ranging birds. If you sit and watch for 45 min, you can probably figure out who it is. Also inspect non hurt birds for bloody beaks- those are likely the cannibals.

 

[chickenfever]

That's the wierd thing, they were free ranging all day yesterday. Not the most likely day that they would decide to start pecking each other to death.

And my EE is now limping and unable to fly. Would chickens cause that kind of damage to eachother?

 

[chickenfever]

If it was a predator, I'm thinking the most likelu suspect would probably be a neighborhood dog. Something that would maul, but not kill or eat.

 

[highcountrychickens]

Oh - I'm so sorry about your BO hen... I was hoping she would spring back.

With that much damage to more than one hen, I think you're right to consider the predator possibility. It is strange that a rooster would go after hens when there is another rooster around on whom he could take his frustrations out - it doesn't add up from here. If it was a neighborhood dog, it will likely be back, so keep your eyes open. If it was me, I'd catch the dog and call Animal Control to pick it up... time for some checkbook therapy.

Don't lose heart. These things are really tough, but not because of a failure or any lack of care on your part. A box of chicks will turn your heart around again.

Keep us updated about your EE hen. I hope she pulls through.

 

[chickenfever]

My EE hen is still alive, I'm going to take her out of her box and see if she can go back in with the hens today. Now I have another EE that is acting strangely. Just standing around and tucking in her neck and fluffing her feathers out.

I'm about 95% sure the culpret was my BA roo. I kept him separated from the girls yesterday and let them all together again shortly before dark. As soon as I let the girls out he ran at them and started pecking on the back of one of my BA girls. He came away with a mouthful of feathers, and she ran. He did this to several girls. Sometimes he would mate them, sometimes just pounce on them and peck on their backs.

Is this normal roo behavior?

 

[jessupfamily]

Quote:
Yes that's normal behavior after a roo has been separated. We have to lock our roos up at night so they will be quiet in the morning (until we move) and they go crazy when they get back with the girls in the morning.

I started wondering if you were dealing with a predator when you said your cochin roo had the matted feathers and same things happening to him as to the girls. Matted feathers on their backs and necks sounds like a dog. And then some of them having problems a day or two after the initial injury sounds like a dog bite. We had a couple get bit and/or picked up by a dog. One had actual open wounds and the other didn't show any real problems just the matted feathers from the dog slobber. But they started having problems walking and just started acting like they weren't feeling well. We lost them both. They had small little puncture wounds that had become infected inside (from dog mouth bacteria) and slowly killed them starting with limping, then droopy wings, then not eating or drinking, then not getting up at all.
Just a scenario that we've experienced and sounded familiar.

Sorry that your girls are having troubles.

Blessings,
Amy J.