Best Guess on What's Killing my Golden Sebrights

[Moco]

I've just, today, lost my second Golden Sebright (little hen) to some predator or other and I would really like to know what's taking them!

There was a crow in the field which, when I approached, flew off. I found the little hen, minus its head. But I am not assuming it was the crow wot did it. Partly because the hen felt cold when I got to her, which implies she'd been dead before the crow got to her.

Does anyone know whether a crow would start eating from the head down or whether something else would?

We are in mid-Wales and there are foxes about and sparrowhawks and Red Kites and cats, but I have seen none of these during the day and have been out and about quite a lot. She was out on a field at the back of the house, but with a lot of people movement about.

I could, I suppose, have disturbed whatever killed it in the first place.

This is the second hen I have lost....clearly not the right place for Golden Sebrights!

There was a cockerel with her at the time, plus several Pekin cockerels. It has just occurred to me that maybe one of them did the killing? But it seems a bit unlikely to me.

Bit sad, but more puzzled. Any suggestions would be gladly received.

Thanks

Moco

[salukiwhippet]

Crows normally take eyes first, then squishy bits - guts etc.

Was the hen killed daytime or overnight? Tawny owls will take the heads off pheasant poults, but tend not to be active in the day. If it was killed in the light, I'd put it down to foxy - they're hunting almost 24/7 at the moment. Odd that the corpse was left though, maybe disturbed.

Bad news is, if it was Charlie, he'll be back

James

[Jason Green]

Evening Moco, and welcome to WAB!

Originally Posted by Moco

Does anyone know whether a crow would start eating from the head down or whether something else would?

I once heard that Crows will go for the head from carrion when they're breeding...

Take care,

Jason

[reino]

Hello there,
It could be a cat.... I heard our sable poot chick in distress and by the time I ran out of the house to it, the cat had run off with it and had been joined by two magpies. All within about 30 seconds!
Reino

[snake]

A few years ago I had a couple of Silver Seebrights in a small ark at the bottom of the garden. When I let the dog out before bed I could hear a lot of commotion coming from the chickens.
On investigating one chicken was dead with it head almost bitten off and the other was still being attacked by the culprit which had its teeth into the neck of the poor thing.
You will probably be surprised when I tell you it who the culprit was.

A not so friendly Hedgehog.

They are quite partial to a bit of fresh meat.

[Moco]

Thank you all.

She was killed in broad daylight. She and her mate had been kept in a pen for a few weeks, while I collected her eggs. Yesterday was the first day that she was let back out into the orchard, with the Pekins and the ducks. They had all been living happily together previously, which is why I doubt if any of them killed her.

But she was found, just over the fence, in the main field.

I had another one go, in exactly the same way, a few months ago.

And, prior to that, the Golden Sebrights had been kept with the big hens, down by the house. No problems at all, then.

I should have said that this was my second and LAST hen! So, if it is a fox, he won't get any more. He'll have to move onto the Pekins and then the layers.

But this didn't happen last time when I lost the other hen, I lost no others, which makes me think it isn't fox, which I know would be the obvious first choice.

The fact that it is just the tiny hens that are going made me wonder about a bird of prey. On asking round here, there has been a goshawk about, so I suppose the most likely thing is that the goshawk killed it and was then disturbed - maybe even by the cockerels? And the crow was just starting his meal.

It still puzzles me about the head going first, though.

And I am taking Jason's suggestions very seriously. I know there is a pair of crows living in the trees which bound the field. And I presume they are mating as everything else is. And they are voracious.

I think I would have noticed either stray cat or hedgehog, but I shall keep my eyes open this morning while I'm out working and see what's about.

Many thanks, again. I googled all sorts of permutations of 'predator' and 'methods of kill' and could find nothing relevant at all, so am very pleased to have some ideas to go on from all of you.

If any more go....I'll let you all know!

In the meantime, I shall set the eggs this morning under the waiting broody hen and, if I'm lucky enough to hatch any little GS's, don't worry. They are promised to a friend who was kind enough to give me the two that died in the first place. I shan't try keeping them here again, at least until they can come back down into the garden!

They love the freer range life of the field, but are equally happy popping into the kitchen for a snack and a chat. If you don't know Golden Sebrights I can assure you that they are the most delightful little things and very tough, usually. They are top of the pecking order in the flock and in my affections!

PS I would like to assure everyone that I'm not taking this personally. I regard it as my responsibility to protect my birds from predators, as they are only doing what is natural to them. But I'm not going to go on providing them with 'free meals' either, if I can't work out how best to protect them, either!!!

Sorry for the long-windedness and thanks again for your responses.

Moco