Why Do They Kill Birds?

[moetrout]

I watched one of my pullets lastyear kill and eat a sparrow. I was surprised, never expected it. I think they will pretty much eat anything edible.

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

wow i didnt think chickens would do this. they probably see them as a threat to food or treats so they kill them. its very possible for a chicken to kill them. ive seen a crow kill a wild bird with one peck. bammmm dead

 

[DanEP]

I had a bo roo that would kill any wild bird that came into their run, i saw him snatch a finch out the air 3 feet up but ignored them while free ranging.

 

[j3anjean]

So glad I am not the only one! I have 4 Isa-Browns, 1 Isa Red, 5 Austrolorps and one big yellow rooster. The biggest Isa Brown hen chases down wrens and eats them. Yesterday,she had one poor bird in her beak and it was desperately trying to fly away. She is a scary little raptor.

 

[jjthink]

Yikes people, in 15 years of having chickens I have never ever had one of them hurt another bird. They coexist cheerfully. I wonder why our situations are so different. I give my birds a wide variety of interesting foods - regular chicken feed, plus bird seed mixtures, fruits, veggies, grain bread with olive oil, mealworms etc etc (plus whatever bugs and plants they choose to eat while free ranging) - just curious if anyone else who is also doing this is experiencing their birds killing wild birds?

JJ

 

[chicmom]

Wow, a chicken eating a bird! I've never seen that yet. Come to think of it, even though I'm surrounded by woods, I never see ANY birds flying and hopping about. Hmmmm, maybe they know chickens are dangerous? LOL

We have a rabbit in our yard that grazes right with the chickens. They used to chase the rabbit, but now, I think they're used to seeing it, so they don't bother. Rabbits are very vigilant....Always watching for predators, so I think when the rabbit is out, it's more than likely safe for the moment.

It doesn't surprise me at all that a hen would eat a baby bird.....Easy prey......Just never though about that.

 

[Illia]

Try having geese.

My girls usually do chase birds, my Shamo LOVES chasing robins, but if anyone's gonna do something gruesome, it was my Sebastopol Geese - They once went after a wild rabbit, toyed with it, then broke the poor things' neck but never actually killed it.

 

[gritsar]

My brahmas used to stalk and try to catch crows when they were younger. Later on they realized? that the crows were their allies, alerting the chickens to the presence of hawks and eagles.

 

[sbtgal]

LMAO! Fuzzy velociraptors! That's awesome.

I'm not surprised.

 

[centrarchid]

My birds routinely will go after, occasionally catch and then often eat small birds. Earlier in growing season victoms were feldgings. This time of year it usually migrant warblers. Many are young and exhausted after flying all night. They feed back up periodically sleeping during day getting ready for another night time leg on journey south. For some reason they seem not to be as aware during this and last year many stopping / refuelling at my place appear to have been sick. These factors can make such small birds more vulnerable than usual. Another note I made is my entire flock came down with something that really set them back for a few days. I think this came from exposure to birds they were catching.