Strange and unusual?????

[Poodlepill]

I have 35 chickens that free range the pastures along with my 2 mini's. If you have chickens you know that anything and EVERYTHING wants to kill them, so I loose a few each year. Well today I came home and found one chicken dead by the coop, feathers everywhere and one of my mini's looked as it it was eating it?.

I am not too concerned over what may have killed it, I have hawks that take dives at them, I am totally fenced in and if it were a fox it would have taken it with them. Anyway, I am more disturbed buy the fact that the mini was very interested in this dead bird.

I "think" the mini was eating maybe feathers (insides were already eaten but I chased him away and he ran back to it, chased him away again and he ran back to it like it was some great treat (ugh).

I don't think the mini killed it purposely if that were the case, and probably its chicken buddies cannibalized it after it died (they do that, they are savages) I was just really put off by my minis intent on doing "some kind of nibbling or eating of that chicken"

Any thoughts? or similar situations??????

 

[ohmt]

I had a yearling colt that bit the heads off of 4 baby chicks last year before I could run out and grab him. He wasn't eating them, but OH MY GOSH! Anyway, he is a sweet little guy, just didn't like those chicks I guess. Have never had a problem like that before. We all know how nosey horses are so I wouldn't be too concerned with your horse nosing around the dead chicken. My horses are like children-have to make sure everything is horse proof otherwise i'll go outside to find one of my little angels running around with it in their mouths.

 

[disneyhorse]

There were lots of feral chickens where I boarded as a kid... Several of the horses hated chickens and would stomp them all the time if they went in the stalls. I don't think they ate them though..

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Our chicken house and run are almost finished and we plan to get our birds in the spring. I was worried about my terrier, but now you say I have to worry about the horses, too?!

I have seen one of my horses eating grasshoppers. Followed them across the ground when it got cooler and they couldn't hop very well, and crunched them up.

 

[Poodlepill]

Our chicken house and run are almost finished and we plan to get our birds in the spring. I was worried about my terrier, but now you say I have to worry about the horses, too?!

I have seen one of my horses eating grasshoppers. Followed them across the ground when it got cooler and they couldn't hop very well, and crunched them up.

No worries, I'd still be worried about your Terrier! I do not believe the horse killed the chicken, they have lived together for over a year and the horses only toss their head at the chickens when they think the chickens are getting to close to what they deem food LOL I think something else killed the chicken and this mini apparently probably after watching the other chickens cannibalize it thought it was something good to nibble on?

The horses do take enjoyment out of scattering the chickens when the horses are all frisky racing laps around the pasture, it sure looks like they aim straight for the flock to scatter them. Chickens are wiser now and see them coming and are already out of the way.

Anyway, I just thought it was very strange behavior and made me feel weird seeing my mini nibbling and who knows what to a dead chicken.......

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Your horse may have been tasting the blood. That may sound gross but blood is salty which might attract a horse. I don't think you have to worry that he will now hunt chickens for 'snacks' tho.

 

[Magic]

Minis can be so inquisitive, I really wouldn't worry about it. When we have to do anything out there that is even a little bit unusual, they crowd around us and nose everything. I've even had minis grab small items and take off with them for fun.

 

[Katiean]

My minis have lived with the chickens we have now for about 7 years. We got 5 new chicks this year and the mini's didn't bother them at all. My horses can even get to my hens as they roost. I haven't had one of my mini's pull feathers. I did have one big mare that would pull the chickens tails.

 

[Poodlepill]

Minis can be so inquisitive, I really wouldn't worry about it. When we have to do anything out there that is even a little bit unusual, they crowd around us and nose everything. I've even had minis grab small items and take off with them for fun.

Pesky little beggers aren't they, I have to put them away if I do any work on anything or they take off with whatever I put down LOL its so darn cute, hard to get mad.

 

[Poodlepill]

I just want to clarify, I never thought my mini killed the chicken. I was a bit disturbed by him appearing to mouth or even eat on it. All the inners were gone, I don't think he ate them but who knows. Husband saw a hawk sitting on the corral fence the next day so I am fairly confident it was a hawk attack and the chickens are awfully jumpy.

My minis are not in the least concerned with the chickens unless they think the chickens are getting something they want, they then give the chickens a head toss and shew them away.