Beware of the Bradford Pear Trees

[centrarchid]

Looks like I have found a new predator. A game cock we call Edgar that tries to roost in 35' Bradford Pear tree about 7 feet up appears to have died in the tree within a few minutes of getting to his roost site. He was in excellent health and his heart may have still been beating when I pulled him down. Dogs ran over to look up into tree as we approached as they apparently could from some distance something was off. From distance in low light he seemed stretched and standing up. I had to pull him down. My guess he either got hung or impaled in a bad spot on one the many thorns. I can find no sign of blood but puncture wounds do not always have free-flowing blood.

He was decidedly a pet. Now I am going to try and kill every Bradford Pear on the place. Should have had that some some time ago.

 

[imnukensc]

Never thought about them from a "chicken" standpoint, but I don't and won't have a Bradford pear on my property.
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/life/2016/03/21/curse-bradford-pear/82070210/

 

[centrarchid]

They are hard to kill out when neighbors have a healthy stand of them. Some are pushing 50' just on other side of fence. A few produce fruit you can eat in a pinch but give you the squirts if over done.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A tree killed your bird?

I recommend finding out what actually killed your beloved pet.
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Missouri
810 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, Missouri 65211-0001
Phone: 573-882-6811

Call them and they'll send you a FedEx label for shipping.

Personally, I hate invasive Japanese honeysuckle.
They're everywhere and I've been fighting them most of my life.

 

[centrarchid]

A tree killed your bird?

I recommend finding out what actually killed your beloved pet.
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Missouri
810 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, Missouri 65211-0001
Phone: 573-882-6811

Call them and they'll send you a FedEx label for shipping.

Personally, I hate invasive Japanese honeysuckle.
They're everywhere and I've been fighting them most of my life.

Yes my friend, a tree. I very good at assessing a bird's health.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sure you are but with no visible injuries, you will never know without lab work.

They have someone on call 24/7.

I'm pretty good too, but I don't presume to know what is going on inside a bird's body without diagnostic testing. Possessing an extremely rare breed, I consider it imperative that I have a thorough going over of any unexplained death.
None of the necropsies have found anything contagious - thank goodness, but I had to know.
I opened a building one morning and all the birds came out. I observed for a couple minutes before moving on to open more buildings. I saw the rooster mount a hen. When I came back less than 5 minutes later, he was dead. It turned out to be a heart attack.

 

[Trish1974]

I'm sorry to hear about Edgar. Didn't you post about him awhile back? Wasn't he ill for a short spell? Maybe that had something to do with his death?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My kids used to climb the Bradford Pear in the front yard. I don't recall any complaint about thorns. Perhaps a different cultivar.

 

[WthrLady]

None of our had them either. Odd. 4 houses. Different states...no thorns. Maybe they're a different variety.

There's a variety of pear that has wicked 4 inch thorns that can puncture ag tractir tires. That stupid tree was removed immediately!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another reason to dislike them is how short lived they are. A 15 year old tree is on the decline.
A beautiful tree in full bloom though.