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quail investigation: someone’s causing unrest in the covey
victim: Sesame. scalped and terrified, this is clearly the work of another bird. although he hasn’t been mating while he molts, he could have started to this morning, and the girls taught him a lesson. there is blood on his breast, perhaps from Snowy
victim: Snowy. her ear is bleeding the same way it did when Jack, the old male, was around. plucked head feathers suggest another bird did this and she did not hit the wire ceiling (mesh has also been installed). she can be defensive herself and potentially caused Sesame’s injury
suspect: Pebble. she’s been extremely aggressive to my hands and any bird in them lately, and she aims for the head. her beak is also very sharp because of its deformity and could cause bleeding. however her head has been pecked recently too! (does not necessarily clear her name)
Maggie. she’s probably innocent since she stays out of everyone’s business and is also missing head feathers with cuts on her head. hard to say if Sesame or Pebble (or someone ese! has been causing these)
suspects: Kiwi and Toby. both of these have a hidden nasty streak and attack everything and anything during their fits of rage. they are also unharmed, but due to how rarely they peck I doubt it is their fault
Bear and Pear. they’re just kind of too friendly to have caused anything
Pigeon, Kit, Dusty: while they were the nastiest towards Seame when he was introduced, they all seem to like him now and are also all missing feathers.
Boots & Peanut: Sesame’s mother and sister. both missing feathers, don’t have the temperament to attack him
Cinnamon & Nutmeg: they’re both rather dull and don’t fight at all. Nutmeg has been pecked on her growing feathers (ouch!) and Cinnamon is missing a few
so that’s all 15. my best guess is Sesame, having finished molt, tried to mate multiple hens, causing feathers to be plucked. Snowy was roughed up more than the rest, and she and potentially others attacked Sesame similarly to when he was first introduced
second guess is Pebble went psycho for some reason (unusual if I’m not present) and pecked nearly every other hen and plucked Sesame. her crossbeak has been filed slightly (necessary anyway since she can’t wear down one side on her own)
