Mysterious deaths (warning, photos of dead chickens inside)

Sep 30, 2021
1,202
2,621
301
Utah
So i am keeping my mom posted on this because she is surrounded by so many predators and she says she doubts the scared to death theory too because she has watched a bear eat a rooster while a hen sat right next to it and silently watched.
 

NanaK

Crowing
8 Years
Jan 16, 2014
412
1,530
366
North Carolina
I still don't know how the feathers got pulled so thoroughly on that one part of one of the chickens, but I guess that will always be a mystery.

If it happened during daylight, one or both of the surviving hens *could* have plucked the feathers???

If the bear did scare them to death (which I doubt because my mother lives in bear country and has had several raid her coops and never a chicken scared to death) that doesn't explain the missing feathers.

Are your mom's birds in a very small run/tractor?

So i am keeping my mom posted on this because she is surrounded by so many predators and she says she doubts the scared to death theory too because she has watched a bear eat a rooster while a hen sat right next to it and silently watched.

Different birds may react differently?? I don't know?

I'd love to know if she has anymore ideas. Bears are not plentiful in my area but are spotted occasionally. One was just this week spotted very close to me too. Never seen one on our property but it is partially wooded. If I went out to close up my coop in the evening a saw a bear, I'd be shakin in my chicken boots!
 

KarynVA

Crowing
May 29, 2020
843
3,021
263
SW Virginia
The feathers missing seems to be the biggest clue to what happened, but also the biggest disprover of nearly every theory! It's crazy.

The feathers being plucked after the death is an interesting idea, @NanaK But again, why only one of the corpses?

I will post a pic of the coop in place in a bit.
 

KarynVA

Crowing
May 29, 2020
843
3,021
263
SW Virginia
coop from above.jpg
coop in place1.jpg
coop in place2.jpg
 
Sep 30, 2021
1,202
2,621
301
Utah

If it happened during daylight, one or both of the surviving hens *could* have plucked the feathers???



Are your mom's birds in a very small run/tractor?



Different birds may react differently?? I don't know?

I'd love to know if she has anymore ideas. Bears are not plentiful in my area but are spotted occasionally. One was just this week spotted very close to me too. Never seen one on our property but it is partially wooded. If I went out to close up my coop in the evening a saw a bear, I'd be shakin in my chicken boots!
No her run is huge but her coops are secure, homemade built on concrete. She has had several coops and runs in bear country over the years. Her idea is that something like a rat tunneled under somewhere
 

NanaK

Crowing
8 Years
Jan 16, 2014
412
1,530
366
North Carolina
No her run is huge but her coops are secure, homemade built on concrete. She has had several coops and runs in bear country over the years. Her idea is that something like a rat tunneled under somewhere
Yes, but in a smaller run they may would hit the fencing. In a larger run, maybe not. I have a large run too. The OP has a tractor so much smaller space. I don't know what has happened here, just my thoughts. I can see it being a rat as well, but no marks on the birds other than 1 with missing feathers and bear scat and landscape damage?? I hope they figure it out to keep the others safe.
 

NanaK

Crowing
8 Years
Jan 16, 2014
412
1,530
366
North Carolina

New posts New threads Active threads

Top Bottom