5 missing and 2 dead chickens :(

[Indianchicken65]

We started raising chickens about 9 months ago and we had 7 hens. This evening came home to find two dead and missing five. We are so upset and wondering what happened. The two dead chickens did not have any physical wound. There are feathers inside the coop and outside. What do you think happened? We live just outside the city limits. Definitely not in the country. We know it is not a hawk as it would have torn up the birds. 5 missing chicken is astonishing. How can some animal carried away all five. There are no feathers in the front yard or the neighbors yard. The birds were free range. Now we are back to 0 birds. We are so upset. Please help us understand what could have happened.
Thanks.

 

[docpalo]

Do any of your neighbors have hunting dogs? A friend of ours, who lives about 1/4 mile away, has a retriever named Daisy. Daisy LOVES our house, probably because of all the feathered playmates in the back yard. We've had Daisy come over to "play" several times, and the last time, our flock scattered throughout the neighborhood. We have lost 1 hen to a freezing spell last winter, and 1 to another neighbor's "pet" cat. We don't have to worry about the cat any more, but Daisy likes to play with our ladies.

If the carcasses are missing feathers and look like they've been eviscerated, it could have been a hawk. If the head is missing, it was probably a raccoon. If it's mostly intact, but dead, and some exploratory wounds are found on the carcass, it was probably a cat. Sorry to hear about your loss. I hope your ladies come home.

 

[Indianchicken65]

Thanks for your concerns and reply. The two dead chickens have no external wounds. That makes it even more mysterious. I do not think it is our neighbors animals. Hope they come back. Driving around the neighbourhood to see of you can find them.

 

[brickerland]

Sounds like a fox to me. A fox will kill as many chickens as possible and then come back for the bodies one at a time. We had 13 chickens and now only have 3 becausse a fox struck one day. Only recovered 2 bodies. We now have more chicks. We learned our lesson. No more free ranging unless we sit outside with a gun and watch them...

 

[NEChickenNoob]

Sounds like a fox to me. A fox will kill as many chickens as possible and then come back for the bodies one at a time. We had 13 chickens and now only have 3 becausse a fox struck one day. Only recovered 2 bodies. We now have more chicks. We learned our lesson. No more free ranging unless we sit outside with a gun and watch them...

I just finished up letting my girls free range. I grab a beer, a high powered pellet gun and let about half the flock out and keep a close eye on them. It's as good as dumping a bag of meal worms in their eyes. What a wonderful Saturday. I am sorry for you lose. I too suspect a fox. I may be somewhat new to chickens, but I am a long time hunter and woodsman. It's amazing what you will observe in the woods while sitting still and watching nature. Sometimes I even forget I am hunting and just watch nature take place.

 

[Indianchicken65]

I did see a fox a few months ago near my house. From 7 hens we are down to 0. Still can't get over the fact that all 7 were gone in one day. We have had a couple lost earlier to hawk. But for the first time lost all of them. Fox definitely makes more sense. You think he will come back and check to see if there are more? I am planning on building a run before we buy any more chickens.

 

[brickerland]

Oh yea it will be back. It will remember where the food is. Keep them inside a run. Make sure it can't dig under the fence very easily as well as climb over the top. Foxs are very sly. U can let them free range as long as u watch them with a gun in hand. Chalk up your lose as a learning experience....

 

[Indianchicken65]

I definitely plan on having chickens again but after I come up with a plan. Definitely plan on building a run. How do I keep animals from not digging under the fence?

 

[brickerland]

Either bury the fence some or put railroad ties or bricks or blocks or something like that along the bottom of the fence. You can also use stuff that smells to keep them away.

 

[Vamvakas]

I definitely plan on having chickens again but after I come up with a plan. Definitely plan on building a run. How do I keep animals from not digging under the fence?

Foxes are the type of animals who don't like getting into a caged areas with the fear of not getting out and try to avoid them. Raccoons may sometimes try to get in by digging but if your coop is well secure raccoons give up.