Need Help!! Chickens being killed!

[Cds6282]

In the past 4 days, 3 of my hens have been killed. My chickens free range and we open the door to the coup sometimes before 7 am. I found the dead hens mid morning every time it happened. It looked like an explosion of feathers and they were drug down the hill 200ft from the coup. They were not fully eaten. I have one pic showing the body and an egg laying beside her that was punctured. We have a bunch of skunks and feral cats around, but I don’t know if that is what done it. I set a trap and didn’t catch anything. Next, will be doing trail cam, but in the meantime any help would appreciated. I’m at a loss. I have had hawks take some birds before but this seems different.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

cats and raccoons usually eat the head.............. could be those skunks, or maybe even a weasel.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

That is a lot of damage. Any chance it's a dog?

 

[Eggs_Over_EZ]

So very sorry to hear about your losses. I have read people mention that the highest predator risk time is dusk and dawn. If possible you may wait until after full sunrise before free ranging. Clearly some predator has figured out when you chicken are most vulnerable and lay in wait.

 

[nuthatched]

Stop letting them out , wait two weeks

 

[Greenwolf]

I am so sorry! That is just so crappy!! I lost seven birds in '22, before my puppy was old enough to be left alone with the birds and before she knew her job. Three were fox and four were human. We had a vagrant living in the woods in our subdivision. That was creepy!

This looks like a fox or a neighbors dog. Usually foxes will take the bird back to their den. Could be a yearling. Just away from it's mother still learning the ins and outs of hunting. Unfortunately your pet birds are Little Red's target meals. Not fast, can't fly, easy to catch and eat.

I concur with Nuthatched, keep them in their pen for at least two weeks. If you have a dog, teach it to run around the pen and go through the woods to flush out potential predators, unless your version of dog is essentially barking cat-food, then that may not be an option for you...

Good luck!!

 

[Cds6282]

That is a lot of damage. Any chance it's a dog?

We have our whole area fenced in with 6 ft fence. I went around the fence looking for dig spots, but none were big enough for a dog to get through. Definitely not dismissing it though, it could be.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have our whole area fenced in with 6 ft fence. I went around the fence looking for dig spots, but none were big enough for a dog to get through. Definitely not dismissing it though, it could be.

What many of us would do is dig a trench around your pen at least a foot to 18" deep, then bury 1/2 hardware cloth down so nothing can dig under. If the pen isn't made of HWC, then I'd cover that with it too. I don't know what you're fence is, but even a rat can get through a hole the size of a nickel.

I am so sorry for your losses. I know from experience you'll have to do something as it's not just going to stop. It will get worse. We got several solar motion lights as scaring them away at night helps keep them away by day. We also have two dogs that chase off anything that comes close.

 

[Cds6282]

I am so sorry! That is just so crappy!! I lost seven birds in '22, before my puppy was old enough to be left alone with the birds and before she knew her job. Three were fox and four were human. We had a vagrant living in the woods in our subdivision. That was creepy!

This looks like a fox or a neighbors dog. Usually foxes will take the bird back to their den. Could be a yearling. Just away from it's mother still learning the ins and outs of hunting. Unfortunately your pet birds are Little Red's target meals. Not fast, can't fly, easy to catch and eat.

I concur with Nuthatched, keep them in their pen for at least two weeks. If you have a dog, teach it to run around the pen and go through the woods to flush out potential predators, unless your version of dog is essentially barking cat-food, then that may not be an option for you...

Good luck!!

My pansy of a German shepherd may be trainable. I’m willing to try if it kills the both of us. Didn’t think of a fox…but my yard has become a wildlife sanctuary. It seems like there is a new critter showing up everyday.

 

[Debbie292d]

My pansy of a German shepherd may be trainable. I’m willing to try if it kills the both of us. Didn’t think of a fox…but my yard has become a wildlife sanctuary. It seems like there is a new critter showing up everyday.

Speaking of training, not to be funny here, but here's a border collie, who herds, that won't herd, but watching hubby herd. The camera is deceptive as it's dusk out there.

I have tried and tried to teach her to help rustle up chickens. She just won't. She's a good guard dog though!