4th of july masacre

[Mooncake]

I've been using BYC for years and i finally created an account because I had something so insane happen that im still in shock over. We had a flock on 6 hens and 1 very large brahma rooster. We have an auto door. We left to see 4th of July fireworks at a friend's house, which is usually fine because of the auto door. Our dogs were inside because of the fireworks. This morning, my daughter went to feed the birds and came back in tears. Our entire flock is gone except 1 hen. Our rooster was found in the front lawn with no head (typically a racoon), but the weirdest part about this, the front lawn is near a major road. Every predator attack we've had has drug them to the back near the dense woods. But, our rooster was found there. There were feathers all over the pastures, side of the house, near the coop. There was blood on the coop door. Every bird is missing except just one lone hen. We manually put up thr hen tonight, no one else has shown up. I was hoping some were scared and would reappear. There were no other bodies. Im devastated and at a total loss. All I can think of is that the fireworks had a portion of our flock roosting out in the yard. Not sure what happened with the auto door... it was only a 3rd of the way open this morning. I have unplugged the auto door just in case its malfunctioning and manually closed the door for our remaining hen. I honestly dont think I can own chickens again. I've lost one or two over the years, but the whole flock in one night? 5 hens and 1 rooster.... its devastating.

 

[McChooky]

I've been using BYC for years and i finally created an account because I had something so insane happen that im still in shock over. We had a flock on 6 hens and 1 very large brahma rooster. We have an auto door. We left to see 4th of July fireworks at a friend's house, which is usually fine because of the auto door. Our dogs were inside because of the fireworks. This morning, my daughter went to feed the birds and came back in tears. Our entire flock is gone except 1 hen. Our rooster was found in the front lawn with no head (typically a racoon), but the weirdest part about this, the front lawn is near a major road. Every predator attack we've had has drug them to the back near the dense woods. But, our rooster was found there. There were feathers all over the pastures, side of the house, near the coop. There was blood on the coop door. Every bird is missing except just one lone hen. We manually put up thr hen tonight, no one else has shown up. I was hoping some were scared and would reappear. There were no other bodies. Im devastated and at a total loss. All I can think of is that the fireworks had a portion of our flock roosting out in the yard. Not sure what happened with the auto door... it was only a 3rd of the way open this morning. I have unplugged the auto door just in case its malfunctioning and manually closed the door for our remaining hen. I honestly dont think I can own chickens again. I've lost one or two over the years, but the whole flock in one night? 5 hens and 1 rooster.... its devastating.

I would keep the remaining hen indoors in a cage and treat for shock after inspecting her for injuries . She'll be very scared out there by herself where it happened. Small land predators and aerial predators kill and eat them on scene .Coons may carry them into trees but don't carry them off. Foxes and coyotes kill and carry them off to a safe place.This sounds like a fox with kitsI'm sorry for your loss!

 

[GodLovesU]

I would search around and look for more evidence.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am so, so sorry for your loss.

 

[Finchbreeder]

sorry to here what should have been a great day ended in S----------------

 

[Mooncake]

I would search around and look for more evidence.

I'm definitely going to try and see. Also I'm going to ask the neighbors next to me if they see anything as well. We live in a very open pasture except for the back portion, which is about 3-400ft away from the house. That part is densely wooded with a creek. Very hard to get back in there. There's also an old cattle fence mangled inside there from the previous land owner. Makes it difficult to really get in there for more evidence.

 

[Mooncake]

I would keep the remaining hen indoors in a cage and treat for shock after inspecting her for injuries . She'll be very scared out there by herself where it happened. Small land predators and aerial predators kill and eat them on scene .Coons may carry them into trees but don't carry them off. Foxes and coyotes kill and carry them off to a safe place.This sounds like a fox with kitsI'm sorry for your loss!

I originally was going to bring her in but she was living her best life and literally behaving as if nothing happened. Usually, if there was an attack, all my birds would huddle and I'd have to go find them under various landscaping but she was 100% normal. She was unscathed of any injury when I looked her over and went up into the coop completely normal. It's very hard, with our current setup to safely bring inside a bird because of the temperatures in our garage and I can't put her anywhere inside without full supervision due to some of our indoor pets. I would have made it work somehow if she wasn't acting like her normal self. This whole thing seems like a multi-predator attack with Hercules losing his head in the front but the ladies' bodies missing.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Possibly stray or neighbors dogs?
That must have been a great shock to you all.
I am so sorry this has happened.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm so sorry for your losses!
Your predator will return, keep your surviving hen safe!
Consider a game camera, you might see who's visiting,
And maybe a live trap also.
Mary

 

[McChooky]

I originally was going to bring her in but she was living her best life and literally behaving as if nothing happened. Usually, if there was an attack, all my birds would huddle and I'd have to go find them under various landscaping but she was 100% normal. She was unscathed of any injury when I looked her over and went up into the coop completely normal. It's very hard, with our current setup to safely bring inside a bird because of the temperatures in our garage and I can't put her anywhere inside without full supervision due to some of our indoor pets. I would have made it work somehow if she wasn't acting like her normal self. This whole thing seems like a multi-predator attack with Hercules losing his head in the front but the ladies' bodies missing.

Sounds like a fox training young kits