[SnooziSuzi]

Hi guys,

This may seem like a silly question from a relatively experienced chicken keeper, but what are the signs of a rat attack?

In the last week I have lost 3 hens and my allotment next door neighbours have lost 2.

The first to go of mine was Lady.  She was lying under the hen house (There's a good 12 inches of clearance underneath).  Her legs were out behind her and her head was crooked around as if she'd had a shock and just keeled over.  It was late October and people were letting off fireworks so I figured she'd had a shock and died.

I didn't think anything more about it until I was incinerating her carcase the following night and checked on the other chooks.  The two remaining ex-bats often escaped from their run and went right back to their old shed so it didn't seem odd when they weren't in their coop with the other two, but when I checked the other shed they weren't there either.

After a search of the hen run I found one of them with her head caught in some inch square plastic fencing.  There was a deep wound on the back of her neck as if she'd put her head in it and couldn't pull it out, but had struggled to do so before dying.  It wasn't clear why she would have done this but after a further search we found the other ex bat also dead but this time with all of the flesh from her neck, shoulders and saddle eaten away.

I figured that the two separate nights activities weren't linked and that Lady had just died, but that perhaps the ex-bat had just died but was eaten by crows or rats which panicked the remaining one so that in trying to flee she got herself stuck and died.


In a possibly related incident; my neighbour reported that a few nights ago one of his chooks was dead, legs out behind her and her head in front (not tucked under like Lady's was).  I figured it was a coincidence, but he has found another one the same way today.

We are suspecting foul play (no pun intended) at this stage but we have no evidence to back it up.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

[Spana]

Is there a stream near by?

[SnooziSuzi]

No there isn't, Spana

I have ruled out a fox attack because the bodies were left there, whereas a fox would have come back, and would have also probably killed all of next doors chooks too.

[8doubles]

Damage at the base of the skull / neck joint is a classic mink - stoat or escapee ferret kill.

I would say stoat if the flesh was not eaten as a blood meal is often enough for them.

[SnooziSuzi]

Thanks 8doubles;  there are some people that have ferrets round here so it is possible that there has been an escape.

I've just come back from checking on my remaining two and (touch wood) they are both ok and happy so fingers crossed whatever it is doesn't come back.

[Spana]

Yes, i agree with 8doubles, my thinking was that it was mink or that sort of animal.  I've had a lot of ducks killed by mink and its very much as you described

[SnooziSuzi]

Thanks guys

[helens-hens]

Hi SnooziSuzi. Sorry to hear about your losses - it must have been very unpleassant coming across them like that 

For what its worth, the way you say Lady was when you found her sounds exactly the same position as one of my hens when she died just over a month ago. She was ill anyway and I imagine the position is down to some sort of nerve reflex that happens when they go.

Good luck with the rest of your hens & hope you manage to keep the perpetrators out.

[SnooziSuzi]

That's what I thought too and I hope that's all it is but I'll keep you all posted for any new developments

[steelman]

I was told recently that rat attacks ( usually on smaller birds) are notable as rats tend to eat into their crops, as they prefer the corn/pellet type food. Certainly wouldn't think a rat would eat all the flesh as described. Foxes would behead the victims - so I would say the above, i.e stoat/ferret/ mink would be prime suspects.

[digga666]

Plagued with rats at the moment. Had a bag of opened feed in my van and a rat actually ate through the plastic vent by the rear wheel and got in to the van for the feed. Next day he was dead because i have bought 10 rat traps which i set at night and disarm during the day when chickens are out. Found them digging into soil by chicken coop so i dug them out.
I think just trap and search for their presence every day is the only way. One thing though if you see signs of one rat, it means there are plenty more around.