?This post is just my theory of why I just found a chicken dead?

[chickchoon1]

Its 6 pm, just went to shut chix in, found Suzette-5 yo Salmon Faverolles-dead on floor of shed and I haven't checked her out well yet(dark-will look tomorrow or when I get home later and can get in barn with light) but I believe her crop is gone and my theory is she fell from roost(she was one of the early roosters)and broke her neck(?) and the other chickens ate part of her.??? Its 10 degrees and they ate this morning but chickens are brutal critters. Sad.

 

[sourland]

I'd be concerned that she was killed by a predator.

 

[BonRae67]

I would be too. Sorry for your loss.

 

[chickchoon1]

My 1st thought WAS predator but none of the other 35+ chickens seemed upset and it hadn't been that long(an hour?) since I had been to their shed. I sooo want to save and get a camera for seeing what goes on in the area. Will investigate what may have wanted to just eat her neck/chest.

 

[BonRae67]

Well then maybe she did fall off. I am getting a camera for mine as well. Good luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would look over every inch of the coop for any small opening where something could get in the coop. I tend to think it may have been a predator also, because of the missing crop.

 

[farmshinder]

Sorry to hear.
I had a weasel(I live near a marsh) attack and kill one of my hens last year while she was roosting. It ate the throat and back of the neck...


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[Eggcessive]

Weasels are in most states including Ohio, and they can fit through a 1 inch hole, I have read.

 

[seminolewind]

Sorry! Since she;s 5 years old, it could be anything that caused her to fall off the roost. Possibly die in her sleep. Chickens are known for eating other dead chickens. I've never seen mine do it.

 

[chickchoon1]

I am going with predator now but how to humanely trap(another section on here!)(and, NO, I won't release it but will kill humanely) will be a problem, if its a weasel. And I am not SURE if she made it to roost. I was out at 5 pm but don't make note of exactly who is where(too many chix) and I suspect she had already made it up(shes a high rooster-5 foot up) so, of course, its possible she fell and was eaten by remaining late roosters(you know what I mean!) I will assume the worst and try to get rid of any entering enemies. I have seen a mink and other kind of weasel in the area this past year and was praying they'ed keep to the swampy areas but given its below zero and snowy guess they're desperate now.