[Blinkers]

     I found my little cuckoo pekin hen dead in the hen house this morning.....with her head completely eaten off !!   She had been perfectly healthy and even laying although she's about 8 years old.......and I've no idea whether she just had a heart attack and literally fell off her perch, of if the rats murdered her??  Do rats KILL hens??   All the others were fine and certainly nothing other than a rat could have been in there but I don't know if they just ate her after she'd died or whether we have murderous rats on the premises? Any ideas?

[Rosey]

if there was a lot of blood then it is possible the rats got her, I have seen a rat attack a male pheasant before. If there was not a lot of blood it is possible they ate her post mortum. 8 is a good age and it is possible she just died.

I am sorry for your loss, I has one live til she was 11 and another two 8, all were lovely and we became attached to them.

[Blinkers]

Thanks Rosey. No there wasn't any signs of a struggle in fact and it was only her head that had been eaten..although there was a little blood on one foot.  I think you're right and she just literally turned her toes up and pegged it. Bless her - she was such a comic too.

[carole]

Blinkers, I am so sorry, I have in the past had baby chickens and ducks  eaten by rats but never a bantam or fully grown chook, but 8 years is good. Sorry again

Carole

[Blinkers]

Thanks Carole - I'm left with a variety of different normal size hens........but only one Lavender Pekin Cock and one White Pekin hen now in the Bantam department.    Last summer I found the lavender pekin hen drowned in the goose water !!! Never had that happen before (or since) either!   You live and learn.   But will definitely get a few more little pekins once we get to Wales.  They are still my favourite.