Why Do They Kill Birds?

[Henicillin]

My chickens will stare intently at small birds in the yard or perching on the privacy fence near the run. I have no doubt that they'd take out a little bird if given the chance.

I was out raking the run the other day when I heard the "tuk tuk tuk" food call and saw four or five of the girls standing by the fence, all staring at the same spot. They were watching a vole making its way along the fence line inside the run, which, if the pullets were older or more experienced (or not stuffed with Flock Block and their feed) would undoubtedly have been suicidal. I went to remove it, but it darted away from all of us and disappeared into a small hole under the chunk of wood that lies under the run gate. The ladies seemed pretty perturbed that it had escaped - for the next hour or so, they camped out by the gate in twos and threes, monitoring that hole. I've also bailed out a toad that was being stalked by one of the SS cockerels.

They have managed to kill several small frogs. We can tell by the froggy bits littering the dirt.

 

[ChickenGirl165]

aww, unlucky bird. My chickens dont care about whatever birds come. The bird even eats their food (which they should not be) and they dont care. Only when my leader, Buttercup wants to eat, it shoos it away and the bird just hops calmly around. mY chicken treat it like their own flock. lol

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:

I told my husband I hope I never fall asleep outside, he'll just find a pile of bones when he gets home from work.

A friend of mine has a husband who did accidentally whacked his head and fell unconscious. She said "lucky he didn't do that in the chicken pen, or there wouldn't be anything left..."

 

[The Chickeneer]

Man I kinda wish mine wre that way, there is so many mice and other little birds that go to the feeder and eat for free

 

[bloom_ss]

Quote:
Mine do this too. I have two apple trees and a cherry tree in my back yard and there are always lots of little birds around in them. Evidently they know enough not to come down in to the yard where the chickens are though...in fact, I haven't seen any birds land in the yard since I got the chickens. The chickens just sit and stare at the birds while they are in the trees and I am sure they would attack if given the chance.

 

[Johnn]

my chickens onece killed a crow...

 

[MareeZoCool]

My flock chases away all wild birds EXCEPT HAWKS & VULTURES. Guess it's a territorial thing.

 

[GoChick]

yesterday I saw my poor Hamburg, who's the lowest one in the pecking order, attack a baby squirrel. The baby squirrel fought back and she retreated.

So I guess she's even lower than a baby squirrel now...

 

[galanie]

Quote:

Poor thing!

 

[kranebanger]

Unfortunately mine do the same.