Darn it - it looks like it was my dog... *New suspect*

[Miss Dottie]

You mentioned finding the chicken dead at the edge of your property. I'm guessing the dog is killing them and taking them away where he thinks you all won't find them. It's like house breaking dogs. People who rub their nose in it, or scold the dog for accidents wind up with a urine soaked room or area in the house that is not frequently used thinking their owner won't find it. He knows killing the chicken will have consequences, but he can't resist his natural urges. Only way to prevent it is not giving him the opportunity, which you are now doing keeping him kenneled up. My DH and I used to have a similar problem, where he thought I was just paranoid. But then one day, the neighbor's dog broke into our yard and killed 1/2 my birds. He had to put a few out of their misery for me and had to helped me clean up carcasses and feathers. After that experience, he started taking my word for it. Most of the time he does, but he still challenges me sometimes. Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it and don't have any more mishaps. It's heart breaking!

 

[bobbi-j]

You mentioned finding the chicken dead at the edge of your property. I'm guessing the dog is killing them and taking them away where he thinks you all won't find them. It's like house breaking dogs. People who rub their nose in it, or scold the dog for accidents wind up with a urine soaked room or area in the house that is not frequently used thinking their owner won't find it. He knows killing the chicken will have consequences, but he can't resist his natural urges. Only way to prevent it is not giving him the opportunity, which you are now doing keeping him kenneled up. My DH and I used to have a similar problem, where he thought I was just paranoid. But then one day, the neighbor's dog broke into our yard and killed 1/2 my birds. He had to put a few out of their misery for me and had to helped me clean up carcasses and feathers. After that experience, he started taking my word for it. Most of the time he does, but he still challenges me sometimes. Good luck, hope you get to the bottom of it and don't have any more mishaps. It's heart breaking!

I need to take a picture of where I found the feather trails. It's a little bit of grass by our grain bins, butting up to a plowed field. Nowhere to hide carcasses. Unless he's burying them, there is no place to hide the bodies there. I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to give you a clear picture of what I'm dealing with. It's so frustrating because there is no clear answer. It's not a typical dog attack, if that's what it is. No bodies. When he got into my meat birds when he was 6 months old, there was no question as to what happened. And no problems from June until Oct.... Sigh. We just need to keep him kenneled while we're gone so we can know for sure one way or another.

 

[Campine]

Game cameras are pretty cheap and fun to have.

 

[bobbi-j]

Game cameras are pretty cheap and fun to have.

That they are. If I could figure out where the kills were happening, I'd put one up. My chickens free range, though, so the possibilities are endless.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, I have another possible culprit on the latest chicken kill. We had a report of several snowy owls in the area this winter. This last kill was, from what I have read, on here a classic bird of prey. The head was eaten off cleanly, neck skinned, breast skinned, exposing the meat but the meat itself was untouched (possibly interrupted before it was able to eat it?). That would explain the lack of bite marks, and the one hole in the neck of my rooster - maybe from a talon? I feel a bit better, but the dog will still be locked up for a while if the chickens are free ranging and we need to leave the place. . That will narrow it down if we have more kills. For the near future, though, the birds are staying in their coop with attached run.

ETA - I don't think the owl would explain the 5 that disappeared in Oct. - I'm still voting coyotes for that one.

 

[Campine]

I lost a hen to a huge rough legged hawk about two weeks ago. I knew it wasn't one of the usual species I see, I had to look it up in a field guide. I moved the carcass out into the middle of the field and the thing came back and fed off it for a week. Maybe some northern raptors are coming south because of the cold and snow.

 

[bobbi-j]

We only see the Snowy Owls in the winter, and not very often. I have no idea where they go for the summer. Our local wildlife expert says he's seen "several", which is unusual.

 

[blucoondawg]

I saw a snow owl by my mom's a few weeks back. First one I've seen in years

 

[bobbi-j]

I saw a snow owl by my mom's a few weeks back. First one I've seen in years

Beautiful, aren't they? They're not real common here in the winter. I think they mostly stay north. I know one winter we had an influx of Great Grey Owls from Canada because they were running out of food up there for some reason. I wonder if that's what's going on with the Snowys this year? Whatever the case, my chickens will stay locked up while they're visiting.

 

[sourland]

Is your dog off the hook?