Opinions Needed

[trevor9]

HI EVERYONE, NEED SOME OF YOUR EXPERT OPINIONS ON WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE OF MY HENS

YESTERDAY SHE WAS SENT ON A 65 MILE FLIGHT , SHE FAILED TO RETURN , HOWEVER TODAY AT 5.30 TEATIME

SHE DROPPED ON THE LOFT, SHE DID NOT SEEM TO BE DISTRESSED IN ANY WAY IN FACT SHE LOOKED FINE.

AFTER SHE HAD EATEN AND HAD A DRINK I PICKED HER UP MTO EXAMINE HER FOR ANY INJURIES ETC.

HER BODY WEIGHT WAS GOOD, BUT TO MY AMAZEMENT WHEN I OPENED HER R/ H WING HER 5TH , 8TH, AND 9TH

PRIMARY FLIGHTS WERE MISSING,AS THOUGH THEY HAD BEEN MOULTED ,BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE

THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO HER WHAT SO EVER, ALSO SHE HAD SOOTED FEET,THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A HAWK ATTACK

AS THERE WERE NO WOUNDS AT ALL AND SHE LOOKS AND HANDLE EXCELLENT, ANY ONE ANY IDEAS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED

THANK YOU ALL TREVOR PENZANCE CORNWALL.

[andy Burgess]

sounds like a "possible" hawk attack ,or maybe been in elsewhere and some one made a mishap of grabbing her ??

[greenlands]

More than likely a peregrine Falcon attack.

[geordie1234]

would go with mis hap whay andy said

[trevor9]

sounds like a "possible" hawk attack ,or maybe been in elsewhere and some one made a mishap of grabbing her ??

 

 

I THOUGHT THIS MAY BE WHAT HAD HAPPENED , BUT IF THEY DID THIS THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO PULL EACH INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT OUT, BUT FOR WHAT REASON

[geordie1234]

or percy attack

[greenlands]

Silly things happen during an attack mate ? you'll never know for sure.

[andy Burgess]

 

 

I THOUGHT THIS MAY BE WHAT HAD HAPPENED , BUT IF THEY DID THIS THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO PULL EACH INDIVIDUAL FLIGHT OUT, BUT FOR WHAT REASON

it is purely geusswork Trevor , if this is the case ,then cruelty nothing more or less in my opinion.

[Guest geordiejen]

hawk or falcon attack mate.i had a black horseman pouter ome back next day with no secondary flight left.think the claw grabbed the wing flights instead of the body.there wasnt any cuts or puncture wounds on her so a lucky escape i thinbk.

[frank-123]

It has been hiding from the hawk in my opinion

[jake12]

I would say that the bird has been subject to a hawk attack on the way home. Its likely been in a batch when the attack happened and dived for cover into trees or bushes causing the loss of the feathers. Our problems are not just the hawk attack as it can only take one bird, but the damaged caused to the rest of the birds when they dive for cover in blind panic.How many fanciers have tossed birds, especially young birds, to find a few home in normal time then say 30 mins later a small group appears, then same again with some returning on their own mutch later. this is a the normal pattern for a hawk attack on trainers. i.e. they panic take to trees/bushes even long grass. It then depends when the settle and get the courage to leave their cover and home.You will also note in this kind of situation some of birds will have damaged/lost flights and usually the breast feathers will be ruffled.

[trevor9]

I would say that the bird has been subject to a hawk attack on the way home. Its likely been in a batch when the attack happened and dived for cover into trees or bushes causing the loss of the feathers. Our problems are not just the hawk attack as it can only take one bird, but the damaged caused to the rest of the birds when they dive for cover in blind panic.How many fanciers have tossed birds, especially young birds, to find a few home in normal time then say 30 mins later a small group appears, then same again with some returning on their own mutch later. this is a the normal pattern for a hawk attack on trainers. i.e. they panic take to trees/bushes even long grass. It then depends when the settle and get the courage to leave their cover and home.You will also note in this kind of situation some of birds will have damaged/lost flights and usually the breast feathers will be ruffled.

THANKS FOR YOUR REPLYS, SOUNDS AS THOUGH THIS HEN WAS ATTACKED AND WENT DOWN FOR COVER,AND CONTINUED WHEN SHE FELT SAVE.

I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE HER AS ALTHOUGH ONLY A YEARLING IS A LOVELY HEN.I APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN TO GIVE YOUR OPINIONS.TREVOR.

[daviedoo22]

I would say that the bird has been subject to a hawk attack on the way home. Its likely been in a batch when the attack happened and dived for cover into trees or bushes causing the loss of the feathers. Our problems are not just the hawk attack as it can only take one bird, but the damaged caused to the rest of the birds when they dive for cover in blind panic.How many fanciers have tossed birds, especially young birds, to find a few home in normal time then say 30 mins later a small group appears, then same again with some returning on their own mutch later. this is a the normal pattern for a hawk attack on trainers. i.e. they panic take to trees/bushes even long grass. It then depends when the settle and get the courage to leave their cover and home.You will also note in this kind of situation some of birds will have damaged/lost flights and usually the breast feathers will be ruffled.

Agree 100% i witnessed a peregrine attack on my latebreds this year,all birds except 1 landed in a field,i returned home and half an hour later all birds returned in 1 batch minus 1.She has probably had a lucky escape and gone to ground until she felt confident to go.

[Guest IB]

Think the pattern of feathers damaged is from diving for cover. IMO Peregrine 'near miss' usually takes out a group of consecutive flights in the middle of the wing; yours is not that. Sounds like damaged happened when bird went into trees or bushes. Lucky escape.

[trevor9]

Think the pattern of feathers damaged is from diving for cover. IMO Peregrine 'near miss' usually takes out a group of consecutive flights in the middle of the wing; yours is not that. Sounds like damaged happened when bird went into trees or bushes. Lucky escape.

YES I NOW BELIEVE THIS IS PROBABLY WHATS HAPPENED, AT LEAST SHE IS HOME AND SAFE, THATS THE MAIN THING