By Dalia Monterroso, The President of Chickenlandia
*This article contains affiliate links to some awesome products I love.*
Predator attacks are heartbreaking when they happen to our chickens. Unfortunately, what many folks don’t realize is that even if there are no injuries or losses in your flock, the aftermath could actually be worse than the initial event. That’s why I felt it was important to tell you the story of a terrible day in Chickenlandia. It all started when I heard a loud commotion from my kitchen. At the time, I dismissed it, thinking it was just my chickens singing their normal morning egg song. But when I went outside a few minutes later, what I saw broke my heart.
Since the beginning of my teaching career, I have spoken at length about protecting chickens from hungry predators. In fact, one of the first popular videos I uploaded to my YouTube channel was about predator-proofing. In the opening sequence, with all the acting skills I could muster, I imitated Liam Neeson in the movie Taken. Even though I cringe whenever I see it, I’ve noticed that fewer raccoons come around Chickenlandia since it was posted. They must know I have “a particular set of skills.” Watch the video and learn more about predator-proofing here.
The Little Bear Who Lost Its Way
A few weeks ago, my neighbor sent me this photo of a young bear trying to break into a can of chicken feed:
We live on five acres, surrounded mostly by farmland. While black bears are prolific in the higher elevations near where we live, in the last thirty years, there have been only two sightings in our neighborhood. This more recent sighting was the latter. Both times, the bears were juveniles who seemingly lost their way.
The neighbor who warned me lives on the other side of several acres of woods behind our property. Because they live relatively far away, I confess I thought there was no way the young bear would make its way to my property. If it did, I thought, “There’s no way it could do any damage to my flock.” Alas, in chicken keeping, over-confidence can be a real trickster.
While I didn’t actually witness the bear come around, I do believe it ventured into my yard and made its predatory presence known. I came to this conclusion because when I made it out to my coop, I found two sweet chickens had passed from what I gathered was utter shock. Unfortunately, chickens and other animals can die from fright, and it’s always very sad. If you’d like to watch the full story, including why I felt those two particular chickens were vulnerable to sudden death, click the play button below.
The Process of Healing Takes some Proaction
Even if you don’t experience any losses or injuries in your flock, what you do in the aftermath of a predator attack is critical to the immediate and long-term health of your birds. Just like humans, chickens can get stuck in a traumatic moment, unable to move forward in a healthy way. The result of this chronic stress can be illness and/or parasite infestation. That’s why after any traumatic event affecting your chickens, I recommend doing a few things to help them move past the bad event and into a more cheerful moment in time.
Rescue Remedy is a Bach Flower Remedy that I put in my flock’s water any time they are under stress. It’s a combination of calming flower essences, which work energetically to bring balance to a being’s spirit and emotions (people can take them too). If this sounds a tad “woo woo” for you, I get it. Flower essences are similar to homeopathics, and I know they aren’t for everyone. I share my use of them because I have seen them work first-hand. I’ve also taken them myself for decades. Note: Flower Essences are not essential oils. There’s no fear of a chicken suffering negative effects from them. You can learn more about them in this podcast I did about pecking order issues.
Just like people, chickens’ immune systems are vulnerable when they are traumatized and/or stressed. If you never give your chickens vitamins, herbs, or other immune-boosting supplements, after a predator attack is the time to do it. After our possible bear attack, I added (and have decided to continue adding) this Prebiotic+Probiotic supplement from Grubbly Farms to my flock’s water.
The company describes it as a supplement that “ensures optimal gut health for healthy digestion and nutrient absorption, which impacts overall wellness.” Since we are learning more and more about the connection between gut health, immunity, and overall resilience, I felt great about adding this supplement to my flock’s water at such a critical time. Of course, if you can’t buy anything, you can always grow your flock their own immune-boosting herbs and ferment their feed. And don’t forget you can also make your chickens some nutrient-packed DIY electrolytes at home.
Distraction and a quick return to normalcy can help chickens overcome traumatic events. I recommend offering your chickens nutritious treats in addition to good immune-boosting supplementation. You don’t have to spend money on this; hanging a cabbage, throwing some healthy scraps, or offering them some grass clippings is great.
If you do wish to buy them something special, the Omega Mix from Grubbly Farms is both nutrient-rich and highly distracting (due to its deliciousness). I found it to be extra helpful after this event since it’s both a healthy supplement and a tasty treat. The bonus: it makes their eggs healthier, too! My chickens loved it so much that they forgot all about their bear encounter. I also enjoyed giving it to them, which helped me move on.
We’re All Learning
I wish I could tell you that as The President of Chickenlandia, I have finally learned all the lessons the chicken yard has to offer. Alas, that’s simply not true. Even with so many chicken-keeping years under my belt, and even though I spend my days teaching others the way of the chicken yard, I am still learning. While it’s hard sometimes, I’m grateful for the experience, and I’d love to hear about what you’ve been experiencing in your neck of the woods. Hopefully, it doesn’t include bears. But if it does, I hope it’s just the “teddy” kind.