What Happened? 2 Missing Tails

[tjcib]

Went to check on my 4 girls. Opened the coop and feathers everywhere! (See Pic). There were some feathers in the run as well. But they were all alive, but TWO of my four girls were missing their tail feathers.

While the sight seemed traumatic for me, all four of them are acting completely normal. Taking dust baths, chasing bugs, letting me pick them up. Also got my usual amount of eggs today...

See the pic of one of my girl's tails. Feathers plucked from the tail with a little blood, but nothing I would call trauma.

It looks like they stages a 2-on-2 fight for the heck of it with the losers losing their tails. And now they are fine...

No sign of a predator. Their run was open and it could have easily gotten in if there was one. Maybe a snake got them worked up?

 

[HuskerHens18]

That looks traumatic! Do you have a dog that could've done that?
Don't get me wrong, I've had some nasty hen fights, but the way the tail looks makes me nervous it could've been a predator.
Have any Blu kote or Pick No More? I'd wash the wounds and get one of those on the tails to avoid more pecking

 

[tjcib]

Yes on treating it... Though standing out there at first, it was just so weird that they didn't even seem to notice. And the other girls didn't care at all... The other one has no signs of blood or anything (She actually has one feather left sticking straight up...like a Little Rascal...)

It is weird the the feathers are in the coop though, not in the run where a dog would have been. No sign of a struggle either...

 

[HuskerHens18]

Yes on treating it... Though standing out there at first, it was just so weird that they didn't even seem to notice. And the other girls didn't care at all... The other one has no signs of blood or anything (She actually has one feather left sticking straight up...like a Little Rascal...)

It is weird the the feathers are in the coop though, not in the run where a dog would have been. No sign of a struggle either...

It's all very weird. It very well could have been hens fighting hens. Are these two high or low in the pecking order? Ive noticed my highest ranked hen will grab and pluck feathers out of lower ranks' tails and necks. It's never been as severe as your case though, I'm just thinking of other things.

 

[tjcib]

We have one more aggressive hen, but never been THAT much...they share bowls and water simultaneously.

I hope the mystery is solved soon. It has been a crazy week with those girls...

 

[tjcib]

They mystery continues...

I went outside at dusk to lock everything up. My girls have ALWAYS put themselves to bed. Tonight, 3 of the 4 of them were roosting on my deck railing.

I carried one of the injured ones to the coop. She went in no problem. The other two were really afraid to even enter the run.

I guess we'll see in the morning...

 

[lazy gardener]

I believe you have a predator. Is your coop locked up securely at night, no openings larger than a quarter? All openings secured well enough that a 2 year old could not open them?

 

[tjcib]

It's secure. Carabiners on the latches.

We are also surrounded by neighboring dogs that certainly alert us to anything...and everything... Those dogs aren't a problem for the chickens and haven't gotten out of their yards ever.

 

[tjcib]

Sad news.

Dead chicken. Tail and backside completely eaten away. All three of the remaining have injuries, one pretty bad, but I think will survive. Others mostly just feathers pulled.

Definitely a huge fight between them.

We are treating and letting them completely free range even overnight. Predators are not an issue where we are. Hoping that a little space will cool tempers too.

Sadly, my 8-year-old son found her (or what was left) when doing his chores. He was pretty shook up.

This might be the end for the other 3 a well...

 

[HuskerHens18]

Sad news.

Dead chicken. Tail and backside completely eaten away. All three of the remaining have injuries, one pretty bad, but I think will survive. Others mostly just feathers pulled.

Definitely a huge fight between them.

We are treating and letting them completely free range even overnight. Predators are not an issue where we are. Hoping that a little space will cool tempers too.

Sadly, my 8-year-old son found her (or what was left) when doing his chores. He was pretty shook up.

This might be the end for the other 3 a well...

I hate to be the pessimist, but I'm positive you have a predator. Do you actually SEE your chickens fighting? I'm so scared you're going to lose more.
I hate to be gross, how much was eaten away?
Ive only ever had one chicken killed by other chickens and they never ate it.