Poll for those who have had chicken deaths

[Olive_Egger]

I just lost all of my birds to a mink. In the past I’ve also lost hens to foxes, one even died from a mysterious disease. I’m curious to know what other people have had the most trouble with. Select any of the things below that has killed a chicken of yours!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Had a dog take a few animal control took those dogs also had a fox try but i was out there just injured a duck. Ive seen hawks but they never tried and had a weasel that was not scared of people as it was runing by my feet i tried stomping it but kept missing it was pretty small so im assuming the giant rat that lived in my shed took care of it. Ive also had rats chew meat birds behinds before. Ive also had my own cat catch and eat chicks before.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've lost a 12-week pullet to a hawk (why couldn't it have taken the crossbeaked cockerel instead?), and I lost a young cockerel to a freak accident -- he seems to have panicked and broken his neck when accidentally trapped outside between two layers of fence overnight.

The precise circumstances don't matter, he was remarkably flighty and always panicking over one thing or another so he was probably doomed to kill himself somehow.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Dogs and coyotes have been my top predators but I have lost a few young chickens to a small hawk that lives in my area.

I also have lost a lot of eggs and a few small chicks to a snake.

 

[Isadora]

Raccoons and foxes have been the predators I've dealt with.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I've had chickens for a pretty long time now, 18 years this spring. Over the years I've lost birds to every single selection in that poll (not to a weasel, skunk, or coyote specifically, though, but to others in the same poll option). Other than what's listed, I've lost them to raccoons and freak accidents as others have mentioned, and simply to old age. I'm not sure if things like sour crop really count as disease, per se, but that's partially what I meant when I selected that one. And I don't know if this counts at all or not, but I have also 'lost' birds to the freezer on occasion. Thankfully the unplanned losses are usually few and far between.

Slight edit for clarity​

 

[3KillerBs]

Dogs and coyotes have been my top predators but I have lost a few young chickens to a small hawk that lives in my area.

I also have lost a lot of eggs and a few small chicks to a snake.

Same. I was only thinking about the adult deaths in my first post.

 

[Isadora]

Raccoons need to be added to the poll.

 

[Beaker99]

One to a stray dog. Another to an ongoing crop issue.

 

[Olive_Egger]

Raccoons need to be added to the poll.

Just added it!