Fox or dog?

[kathrathryn]

Yesterday all six of my chickens were killed. I wasn't home so I need some help from you guys on what you think it is. I think it may have been my neighbor's dog or a fox. The dog is a jack Russell terrier that constantly gets out and doesn't listen to anyone including her owners. She is always showing up at my house at least twice a day.
At about eleven she came up to the coop and was barking at them. I chased her away and kept guard for a bit until I had to go to church. I was walking back home with my friend to check on them at 3:00 when we saw some feathers in the bushes. One of my chickens was hiding under some leaves with a bite in the butt and a bunch of feathers missing. My dad said that the other neighbor called him at about 1:20 and told him about the chickens. All other 5 were up on the hill scattered around the coop on the lawn. We found the other chicken at the bottom of the second of two hills under some leaves hiding. The place we found him was the direct path that the dog likes to go on her way home.
I saw a fox a few streets away three weeks ago and it sort of smelled like a fox though. And when the neighbor and the dog came to see what happened, she sort of rubbed up against the one surviving like she knew it was hurt (It died at about 5).
I really don't know what to think. This is my first time raising chickens and I loved them so much. I just want to know what killed them. I understand that they can't come back and I know I'll never know for sure, but I think that it will give me closure to have a better idea. I know my grammar is horrible, but I'd really like your guys help. Thanks

 

[Pyxis]

So whatever it was just left the birds? A fox usually comes, grabs a birds, takes it, and eats it, since it's killing for food. They wouldn't just leave the birds around the yard, a fox would eat them. A dog, meanwhile, isn't killing for food (usually), it's killing for fun, and it WILL leave the bodies around because once the bird is dead, it's no fun anymore. I just suffered a barrage of dog attacks and the dog just left the birds around after they died, all over the yard with feathers scattered everywhere, so that sounds like what you have going on. I think you have to have a talk with your neighbor about keeping their dog off your property.

 

[Blackoutcat]

I agree with Pyxis, foxes kill for food, they're hunters and scavengers through and through. Having found any of the bodies at all is a pretty convincing argument. The fox you saw previously probably wasn't even near by, even if it didn't make the kill itself, it would have grabbed one of the bodies to snack on.

Jack Russells can very destructive dogs when untrained trained and not cared for. If the dog gets out regularly and won't listen to it's owners I'd have to say the dog did it. They're a very active breed and like any terrier were bred to root out vermin from dens, often having to dig a burrow larger to gain access. They were not designed to make outright kills but if they do make a kill it's usually a clumsy one (like taking a bite of a chickens butt). A Jack Russell needs tons of exercise, training, and owners that can spend a lot of time with them. They usually don't do overly well if left alone for long periods of time. With that in mind not all Jack Russells are like that, it's in their nature but with the right training any dog can be a great well behaved companion.

If you want complete confirmation examine the bodies closer. Foxes have narrower canine teeth than Jack Russells do and would have made cleaner narrower bite marks, the terrier would have left larger gashes that certainly wouldn't be instant killing blows so there would more than likely be several locations attacked before the chicken died i.e. bites on body and neck.

Good luck with everything and hope this doesn't deter you from loving and getting more chickens in the future.

 

[bugglesmommy]

X3. It was most likely the dog.

 

[ECiesielczyk]

A dog. We had a dog attack and all the bodies (except one) was left. 4 weeks (exactly!) we had a fox attack and there were 3 bodies left - one eaten, one still alive (I think we interrupted) and another small baby next to the live one. The rest there were only a trail of feathers - straight to our local fox den. We had 3 babies and one hen escape (out of 13) and the one that was injuried is still healing about 6 weeks later. Dogs play and leave the birds, foxes take them back to their dens. I would talk to the owners and let them know that they have to be responsible for their dog. If you have a motion sensor camera, put it up so when the dog shows up it takes a pic. It sucks to lose your birds (believe me, 1/2 my flock the first time, then we replaced some and then most of them the second time, including all the new ones). I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[cosmo1104]

ditto dog! sorry for your losses, time to teach that thing a lesson before it happens again!

 

[jerryse]

A fox will kill in excess when it is easy.I had one get into a grow out pen 3 years ago.Killed 50.It was coming back the next morning and carrying off the dead to bury and hide them for later.Shot in the act.

 

[cntrywmnkw]

Totally agree with other posters about it being the stupid dog. With a fox, the chicken disappears, dogs leave bodies. Report this to your local law enforcement and animal control, plus, you want it on record that their dog is killing livestock & also find out what your legal rights are, so if it "disappears" (which roamers do a lot), plus it might just get your neighbors attention when law enforcement or animal control pays them a visit & gives them a citation for not having their dog under control & allowing it to roam. Good luck & sorry about your loss, I know how you feel, I've lost girls to dog attacks as well & don't give up on having chickens. You might also want to check your coop, if the dog got in, something else can too, now's the time to make it super secure.

 

[centrarchid]

Fox or Jack Russell is not relevant. Either could have done job, lack of consumption does not rule out fox, dog could have actually chased fox off before it had chance to consume kills. Pure speculation on that but possible although not likely.

Real issue is that either could have killed birds. Prevent next event and do not invest energy to deal with a single individual predator as cure to problem. Otherwise there will be a repeat by another individual.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lack of consumption doesn't rule out fox but they probably have kits to feed now and would probably have taken some.
I vote for dog.
And it could be any kind of dog from a shih tsu to beagle to husky.