Tail down on my araucana?

LukeandAli

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My coop was "hit" last night or this morning and one of my birds was shredded all over the place when I went out this morning.
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I'm very sad that one of my laying girls (a Barred Rock we named Mama B) is gone. After I found the "evidence," I immediately wanted to make sure my other girls were okay. Everyone else seems fine except my araucana. She is limping with her left leg and her tail is pointed down. She spent most of the day in my front flower bed and didn't get up much. When I tossed some bread bits out, she got up and ate them and she even went after the apple slices I put out; but, as soon as she finished eating, she went back and laid in the flower bed. Is there a reason her tail would be down (like broken bones) or could it just be her showing that she is upset? Also, does the limp/sensitivity on her left leg mean it's broken or could it just be a "boo-boo" (sorry, I work with 3rd graders)?

I'm worried about my girls.
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I didn't realize how attached I'd gotten to them over the nearly-two months that we've had them.
 
Aw, so sorry this happened :( Did you figure out the culprit?

My EE was injured by an aggressive roo a few months ago-- torn up pretty badly and, like yours, had a limp. She was antisocial for a couple of days, but recovered quickly. She's just as spy as the others now. Will she let you get close enough to inspect? If she has no other serious wounds, and is able to navigate (albeit with a limp), I'm guessing she's sore/strained and will recover in time.
 
I think it may have been the owl that lives in a tree across the street from us. The evidence was so close to the coop (but, not inside it at all), that I'm thinking the owl swooped in and got her, but, she was too heavy to carry off, so the owl landed and ate what it wanted right there. Either that, or something was out there as soon as the girls got up in the morning and attacked then. :(
 
Hopefully it is just a bruise/sprain that will heal quickly. Of more immediate concern is the fact that the predator will return. Do your best to predator proof your coop and protect your remaining chickens. Good luck - owls are very persistent.
 
Owl? Strange! Anyone else have problems with them? I have a family of barn owls living in a palm tree, pretty much directly above my run. They've never expressed any interest in the chickens, even when they were juvies. Always with mice and rats, critters they can take with them. What kind of owl, do you know?
 
Ok, turns out it was a hawk (who I think is now dead because it hasn't been seen in a while....no, I did not shoot it....but, I would have if I'd had the chance). Anyway, my ladies are back to laying and my araucana has her tail up again. In any case, I'm glad that my girls are safe and happy!
 

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