We put Hannibal back in the brooder with the others. He had a bit of a peck, but we decided to give him the Benefit of The Doubt. DH rigged up the large Electric Hen (EH) in the Go, and we then moved them alll outside into the newly enlarged run. The 4 injured babies are still in the shed in their own little brooder with another EH.
I can see the Go from the kitchen window. A couple of times I thought I saw Hannibal peck some of the remaining black chicks, but I couldn't be sure. I went outside and watched. He did it. To several of them. In a short space of time. Then he was happily eating grass and taking no notice of the black chicks. I watched some more. He did it again. A bit of tail pulling here, and peck on the back there.
I couldn't catch him. I came inside and pondered what to do. I went outside again - no problems. Then, there it was again. And Again. And Again. Then it was OK. I tried again to catch him, no chance. I came in and got my Grim Reaper net. The Big Girls, who had been lining up against their netting to watch the sideshow, ran away and hid. The little chicks all ran up one end. I put the net in, and tried to catch Hannibal as he ran past. Missed him.
I moved the net trying to get the chicks (including Hannibal) to run into the Go, reasoning that I could shut the door, then get him out from the back. The other chooks ran in the Go, Hannibal ran the other way. i moved the net again, and I managed to catch him in it (which was a fluke, and not what I was expecting at all). I moved it slowly towards me so I didn't hurt him, and there he was.
He's now back in solitary confinement, until DH comes home and we can decide what to do. hi specking doesn't look particularly malicious - but then, my cats don't catch things with the intention of killing them either, they only want to play. They still end up killig the plaything though, and Hannibal is still going to end up drawing blood and hurting the others.
I can see the Go from the kitchen window. A couple of times I thought I saw Hannibal peck some of the remaining black chicks, but I couldn't be sure. I went outside and watched. He did it. To several of them. In a short space of time. Then he was happily eating grass and taking no notice of the black chicks. I watched some more. He did it again. A bit of tail pulling here, and peck on the back there.
I couldn't catch him. I came inside and pondered what to do. I went outside again - no problems. Then, there it was again. And Again. And Again. Then it was OK. I tried again to catch him, no chance. I came in and got my Grim Reaper net. The Big Girls, who had been lining up against their netting to watch the sideshow, ran away and hid. The little chicks all ran up one end. I put the net in, and tried to catch Hannibal as he ran past. Missed him.
I moved the net trying to get the chicks (including Hannibal) to run into the Go, reasoning that I could shut the door, then get him out from the back. The other chooks ran in the Go, Hannibal ran the other way. i moved the net again, and I managed to catch him in it (which was a fluke, and not what I was expecting at all). I moved it slowly towards me so I didn't hurt him, and there he was.
He's now back in solitary confinement, until DH comes home and we can decide what to do. hi specking doesn't look particularly malicious - but then, my cats don't catch things with the intention of killing them either, they only want to play. They still end up killig the plaything though, and Hannibal is still going to end up drawing blood and hurting the others.
