Heartbroken Roo After Bobcat Attack💔😢

[NorthFLChickenChick]

My sweet Speckled Sussex, Poppy, was killed by a Bobcat last week. This was our first experience in five years of chicken keeping with predator attacks, and we did not even know about the threat of these creatures.

Poppy and Keith Richards, our Polish Roo, have been BFF's since they were baby chicks in the same clutch that we brought home from our local breeder at 2 weeks of age. Keith never left Poppy's side and every night when we put them in the run he would not go in until he was sure that she was inside.

My daughter interrupted the bobcat attack, and he dropped poor Poppy before jumping over the fence, but her little neck was broken

Keith Richards has not stopped looking for Poppy every night and every morning...and he just runs around the yard looking for her...and it just breaks my heart into pieces

We have the flock on lockdown temporarily as we are installing an electric fence extension and other security measures for our birds.

Is there anything that I can do for this poor boy? I have 3 other Roos and 22 hens...I don't have any other speckled Sussex hens but I was going to get another in the spring...

 

[Callender Girl]

I am sorry that you and Keith Richards lost Poppy. I have two dozen hens and if I was forced to name favorites, my Speckled Sussex, Bronwyn, is in the top two. SS hens are, in my opinion, delightful birds.

It's possible Keith Richards will find a new BFF. When a mink killed all of my Honey's coop mates -- that she had been raised with since they were hatched -- she was unhurt but traumatized for quite a while. I let her "choose" her new roomies. My birds, that are housed in several coops, "free range" together when I'm home and can watch them. Honey, a Buff Orp, eventually gravitated toward a group of three girls and happily spent her remaining years in a coop with a pair of Salmon Faverolles and a Blue-Laced Red Wyandotte.

Hopefully, your boy will find his way again, without his beloved Poppy.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[ksbkeys]

My sweet Speckled Sussex, Poppy, was killed by a Bobcat last week. This was our first experience in five years of chicken keeping with predator attacks, and we did not even know about the threat of these creatures.

Poppy and Keith Richards, our Polish Roo, have been BFF's since they were baby chicks in the same clutch that we brought home from our local breeder at 2 weeks of age. Keith never left Poppy's side and every night when we put them in the run he would not go in until he was sure that she was inside.

My daughter interrupted the bobcat attack, and he dropped poor Poppy before jumping over the fence, but her little neck was broken

Keith Richards has not stopped looking for Poppy every night and every morning...and he just runs around the yard looking for her...and it just breaks my heart into pieces

We have the flock on lockdown temporarily as we are installing an electric fence extension and other security measures for our birds.

Is there anything that I can do for this poor boy? I have 3 other Roos and 22 hens...I don't have any other speckled Sussex hens but I was going to get another in the spring...
View attachment 4036135

Beautiful pictures...so sorry for your loss of Poppy. He needs to grieve like we all do. Getting a new member for your flock would likely be a good distraction.

 

[Shadrach]

It is heartbreaking to watch. I would like to write Kieth Richards will get over it in time, but some that I've known dont really fully recover. Some people laugh when one mentions love between chickens; let them laugh, some of us know different.
I've found letting them see their dead partner can help. The one remaining knows then that there is no point in looking. It's not always possible.
I can think of at least a dozen couples I've known where the death of one has led to obvious behavioural changes in the one left behind.
With terminally sick chickens being there when they die and allowing the tribe to be with the fading chicken helps.
Some chickens cope better than others, much like we do. When Harold, the seven year long term partner of Bluespot had a heart attack during the night and died Bluespot who was the senior hen in her tribe hardly broke stride and continued to lead her tribe until their son Punch was old enough to take on the senior roosters role.
Just before I arrived In Catalonia and took on the care of the other creatures there, Major, the senior rooster in Tribe 1 lost his favourite hen to a predator.
It took him some years before he formed a rather odd relationship with the senior hen Fat Bird, but Major never led the tribe again, passing over the hen care duties to another rooster called Oswald. Major spent the rest of his life as a lone male. He still roosted with his tribe but his days were spent travelling around the farm watching the other tribes, or with me.
Callender Girl has a similar approach to mine where I let the chicken choose with whome and where they live; not possible for many keepers unfortunately.
A hug for Kieth Richards.

 

[NorthFLChickenChick]

It is heartbreaking to watch. I would like to write Kieth Richards will get over it in time, but some that I've known dont really fully recover. Some people laugh when one mentions love between chickens; let them laugh, some of us know different.
I've found letting them see their dead partner can help. The one remaining knows then that there is no point in looking. It's not always possible.
I can think of at least a dozen couples I've known where the deathof one has led to obvious behavioural changes in the one left behind.
With terminally sick chickens being there when they die and allowing the tribe to be with the fading chicken helps.
Some chickens cope better than others, much like we do. When Harold, the seven year long term partner of Bluespot had a heart attack during the night and died Bluespot who was the senior hen in her tribe hardly broke stride and continued to lead her tribe until their son Punch was old enough to take on the senior roosters role.
Just before I arrived In Catalonia and took on the care of the other creatures there, Major, the senior rooster in Tribe 1 lost his favourite hen to a predator.
It took him some years before he formed a rather odd relationship with the senior hen Fat Bird, but Major never led the tribe again, passing over the hen care duties to another rooster called Oswald. Major spent the rest of his life as a lone male. He still roosted with his tribe but his days were spent travelling around the farm watching the other tribes, or with me.
Callender Girl has a similar approach to mine where I let the chicken choose with whome and where they live; not possible for many keepers unfortunately.
A hug for Kieth Richards.

People who have never had the blessing of owning chickens cannot possibly understand the social bonds that these special creatures form between each other and with us

Thank you for your kind words...that's why I love this forum

 

[AGeese]

People who have never had the blessing of owning chickens cannot possibly understand the social bonds that these special creatures form between each other and with us

Thank you for your kind words...that's why I love this forum

The stigma is in the name "chicken", but the reason chickens are chickens is actually because they're smart and don't stick around to get eaten. Getting to know them further people will see how they do in fact communicate with you.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I'm so sorry about your loss...it's incredibly hard losing a bird. I hope that Keith Richards finds a new best friend even if she might not be the same as Poppy. We're all here for you.

 

[LaFleche]

I've found letting them see their dead partner can help.

This exactly. Helps chickens to realize that the partner is dead and they will stop their search for them.

Works with dogs as well.

Other than that you can try and get him another, simimar looking young Speckled Sussex pullet and hope that he will accept her as his new partner.

 

[NorthFLChickenChick]

My Flock