Should we keep our chickens? Advice Please?

[paigemn]

We bought chicks last spring and everything was perfect until this week. I absolutely loved all those little guys.. Then I came from work to find my turkey with a possibly a prolapsed vent being eaten alive by my chickens... They’ve never shown any signs of aggression before. I loved that turkey like I love my dogs. She was my favorite. I checked the chickens and they almost all have blood splattered on their heads. The only ones that don’t are my other turkey, the rooster, and a little Rhode Island Red. We did everything right. A big enough coop, huge run, the right food and water. We even have a red light in there. Now I can’t even look at them. Our coop looks like a murder scene. It’s covered in blood and I can’t seem to get it off. I feel horrible giving away the 3 that didn’t do anything but we can’t just keep a turkey, rooster, and 1 chicken. I never thought this situation would happen. I have no idea what to do now. I’m terrified that I’m going to come home to another death like this now that it’s happened once. Any advice?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

The chickens only attacked because of the blood. Chickens peck at the sight of red. A prolapsed vent is a major pecking target. Keep your birds, they only did what chickens do.

 

[Purple_grape84]

How very traumatic! If you liked the birds before, you may be able to like them again. Remember the happy times, try to push past the recent events and focus on before, when their little tyrannosaurus hearts were sleeping. They were only doing what is natural, it is unfortunate that there was a victim, but it could have happened at any time to any of your animals.

Can you take a step back from them for a few days. Let the blood dry, if you can't wash it off, so it's not so bright, little bleach will probably help. Don't let your mind fixate, that's how you get PTSD, reliving the gruesome event.

 

[Acre4Me]

agree with @A_Fowl_Guy. It was an unfortunate incident, but birds are omnivores. They are also keyed into the sight of red, along with being curious. As one may her pecked at the red, then others joined in.

Wait a week to see how you feel. Blood is hard to remove from wood, since it is porous.
But, if you cant keep those chickens because you no longer feel the same way about them, then you can sell them and maybe get some already started pullets or young hens, or chicks if you are up for raising them.

Sorry about your turkey, sounds like the turkey survived the attack?

Good luck.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So sorry for your loss.

Actually chicken peck to inspect anything out of the ordinary, their comb and waddles are red yet get left alone everyday. BUT once the blood starts flowing... excitement breaks out and the frenzy is on with chickens. It's a rich and tasty pay off for them. Left to their own vices, they cannibalize me even!

This was an unfortunate accident. Probably not aggression. BUT some time a flock (or pack) will kill the weakest link as a means of protecting their own from further predation or disease. Probably not what happened here.

I agree it wasn't likely intentional harm in this situation. But if you can't forgive them birds... DO what you must to be able to enjoy YOUR life. Re-home them or eat them yourself.

Peroxide might remove the blood you are trying to get rid of. Hang in there!

 

[paigemn]

The turkey unfortunately died. My tiny chickens killed a huge bronzed turkey. I held her in my arms as she died and it was traumatizing. I know it’s what chickens do so I’m really struggling with a decision. We’re giving it a few days to see how we feel. We’re greiving now so I feel like it’s not right to make a decision at the moment. It’s been extreamly cold but it’s finally warming up tomorrow so we’re going to clear out the coop and really deep clean it. The temperature was in the negatives the day of and the day before it happened. Hopefully we can get the blood out

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

The turkey unfortunately died. My tiny chickens killed a huge bronzed turkey. I held her in my arms as she died and it was traumatizing. I know it’s what chickens do so I’m really struggling with a decision. We’re giving it a few days to see how we feel. We’re greiving now so I feel like it’s not right to make a decision at the moment. It’s been extreamly cold but it’s finally warming up tomorrow so we’re going to clear out the coop and really deep clean it. The temperature was in the negatives the day of and the day before it happened. Hopefully we can get the blood out

Try iodine for cleaning. It works better than peroxide.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Try iodine for cleaning. It works better than peroxide.

Iodine stains as far as I know. The peroxide suggestions is specifically used to remove blood from sheets at the hospital and not meant as a cleaner.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Iodine stains as far as I know. The peroxide suggestions is specifically used to remove blood from sheets at the hospital and not meant as a cleaner.

It stains but it’s brown as is the wood. Might give a better color haha. I use iodine to clean blood off in my butchering area so I usually recommend it.

 

[Kris5902]

So sorry for you loss
They do like to peck at shiny things, and red things that are different, and wounds... I’ve got a troublesome cockerel right now that took a chunk out of my cheek when I had to pick him up (im watching for that now!) A few days later when one of my small girls who likes to sit on my shoulder was using me as a perch while I refilled feeders (I’m trying to train her to only fly onto my extended arm... not directly at the back of my head or face!) she pecked at the scab! Not hard, but in an exploratory way, so that’s the end of sitting on my left shoulder for a while!