Keeping Chickens Newsletter

Christy Weick : RIP Gerdie. I came home from work yesterday and I found Gerdie dead. Her throat was torn out and nothing else was missing. I saw no sign of blood and the ants hadn't found her yet. I counted the chickens that morning and I had them all. I know we have 2 barn owls (maybe a mating couple) and a mating couple of chicken hawks (they have been living in the woods since 2005) in the woods. However, what is the difference between a dog kill and a predator kill? If the owl, hawk or even a coyote killed her would they take something like a leg or something?

My Reply : Dogs usually kill for sport so often once the bird has stopped moving it will get bored and leave it. Weasels and ferrets etc. also kill for sport, they might take the head and neck, as might a bird of prey. Racoons are also known to take the head and crop. It may be one that was disturbed before it could finish. Sorry for your loss.

Christy Weick : Well the mystery of how Gerdie died is over with. You were right, I must have interrupted the kill. I got home early last Friday. I cleaned the coop out because we were going to a Festival in Hammond on Sunday and then I went inside. I got cleaned up and watched a little tv. When it was time for me to go get Patrick from school I was going out our back door and lo and behold there was the most beautiful hawk setting on my clothes line. He was just sitting there, watching the chickens. When I reached for the camera that sits on the back counter he must have heard me and flew off. In a weird way, I feel better knowing what killed her and now I have to take action. I placed some tin pans on string from the tree and pipe around the pen. I know that I need a netting but the price is too much for the area that I need. So we will have to improvise. Patrick is looking at this as a way to get more baby chicks in the spring.

Other happier news : Patrick's chicken essay won a red ribbon at the Washington Parish Fair - Congratulations Patrick!