Today was the first day I had my chicks outside in the chicken yard. I have them in a dog crate, something I have successfully used in the past. Take note I have been outside a lot today and none of the chickens seemed the slightest bit interested in the chicks (doesn't mean they weren't later). Unfortunately, I heard my rooster making his distress call. It took me a couple minutes to get out there, and I saw all my chickens and ducks were accounted for (though my ducks seemed to be hiding and my chickens were scattered). I went down to my chicks, and two of them had been killed. At first my husband thought a chicken had gotten its head in there and killed them (which may be the case), but then he noticed that both chicks bad a puncture wound on either side, so he cut them open and found that the puncture paths from either side met up in the rib cage. I find it odd that my rooster would have been distress calling about his own hens pecking at the chicks (I had just been outside, so I do feel that his calling probably happened during the event). My main question is whether or not a chicken peck can go all the way through the body (these punctures seemed to be the only wounds on the bodies)? I am including a picture of the soon-to-be-fortified enclosure (they are in the house now) as well photos of the puncture wounds. EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: the chicks were still inside the cage when I found them. One was near the center, the other had its head underneath the waterer with its body near the bricks. There was blood near the end (as can be seen), so the injury probably took place there (also some blood at opposite end).
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