HAWK

[EggHead107]

Hello everyone I told you all about my last baby that I had lost about a month ago to which I think was a fox because her whole body was gone, but yesterday i came up to my barn and i did not see my hens running around like they usually are. I knew something was wrong and I saw one of my girls laying beside the road dead. Only a part of her leg and stomach was eaten the rest of her was laying there and another one of my girls got a bad wound on her neck I took her to the vet where they stitched her up but did not put her on antibiotics because of the eggs that we eat. The wound looks a little weird today are there any natural things i can out on her wound? and about my hen that I lost. Does this sound like a hawk? I cannot afford to lose another hen I'm done with these predators I have done everyhitn. Coyote urine, night guard light and tape. This was around 2-3 in the DAY!!1 WHAT THE HECK?? what is attacking my girls? help please?

 

[crobbins2009]

A fox kept attacking my free range girls (and now the fox has babies and the whole family is attacking). At first I noticed that there were some feathers and the entire birds were missing, but when the babies started feeding they'd just rip out the stomach and eat some of the neck. I literally just found what has been killing a couple of days ago when I saw a gray fox running off. Then the next day saw the baby foxes (sp?).

We also had a couple of hawks when I first got into chickens, but my great Pyrenees kept getting them before they'd make off with the chickens. The hawks would leave huuuuge talon marks on the back, which makes me think that may have been what got your chicken.

I use blue kote a lot. I wonder if you could put it on a stitched area? Hopefully someone will give you better advice there.

 

[EggHead107]

I have heard a fox scream a couple of times so it might have been a fox. Would a fox just eat apart of my chicken rather than taking the whole thing with them?

 

[EggHead107]

Because I have seen a fox around too. Would they attack during the day?

 

[crobbins2009]

All of my fox attacks have been between 9 am and noon. When I finally saw them the other day it was around 10:30 in the morning -- in broad daylight.

And then the baby foxes that I've had feeding recently don't eat the entire thing. The large foxes just take the entire chicken with them. These are just my experiences, and I'd imagine that fox habits would vary by region. I live in southern Indiana.

 

[EggHead107]

I live in East Texas. This is possibly what could have happened since I have seen a fox in the morning and have heard one right by the woods where my coop is. What about the other chicken who can a bad wound on her neck. Do you think that sounds like a fox trying to attack or a Hawk. I guess the only way to find out is hunt. Do you think a fox trap is a good idea? I have heard it is hard to catch a fox in a trap.

 

[dekel18042]

Because I have seen a fox around too. Would they attack during the day?

Foxes, especially when they have families, will attack any time.

 

[EggHead107]

Do you think that is what happened to my chickens? @dekel18042

 

[chickens really]

I would bet money it is the Fox....We have a Fox problem here...My first attack was at 3:30 in the afternoon...I was watering my garden..My one hen was free ranging only 50 feet from me..My LGD dog was out watching over the flock..He took off barking to the barn...He was lured by one fox to the barn and the other one stole my Hen right in front of me....My LGD and my Rooster Chased the fox up into my pasture after that attack...If Finn was not there the Fox would of got my Rooster too...

My Husband shot and killed the Male last fall..The female is still around..I quickly bought and trained another LGD and bought a mesh electric poultry fence to keep my birds safe......

You have a Fox problem...I really do not like Fox....


Cheers!