Thoughts on what killed my girls?

[chickengeorgeto]

Could be. Hawks around here will sit with their prey and pull feathers out..... But don't you think that even a hawk would try to carry off it's prey...as long as the prey wasn't bigger than they are.

The largest chicken hawk in North America is the red tailed hawk. They grow up to about 4 lbs. Therefore I doubt that any hawk is capable of toting off a standard size, adult hen or rooster. The only way it is possible is if the hawk eats most of the chicken while it is still on the ground then flies away with the scraps.

 

[LadyBug7]

Thank you all for your input! The hubs bought a live trap and we will be setting it out to see what we can catch.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't believe your pred was a hawk. There would be puncture wounds. Even if the hawk did a kill, and was scared off, he'd come back to finish his meal. When you've witnessed what a hawk can do, you'll never forget it.

I think your killer is a dog. A dog on your property is a predator. He needs to be dealt with as such. I know I'll create a lot of flack with such a statement, but there it is.

 

[microchick]

....which is probably what we were seeing happening when we found a circle of feathers with no body left behind.

But....trolling around the internet out of curiosity and found this from an article written by an extension office on flock protection from predators:

Often, the condition in which you find your flock is an indicator of which predator is involved.

• If adult birds are missing but no other signs of disturbance exist, the predator probably is a dog, a coyote, a fox, a bobcat, a hawk, or an owl. These predators typically are able to kill, pick up, and carry off an adult chicken. Hawks typically take chickens during the day, whereas owls take them during the night.

So they do imply that a hawk can indeed carry off a chicken. If anyone would like to see the article on predator identification, here is the link:

http://articles.extension.org/pages/71204/predator-management-for-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks

Now I'm kinda dubious myself that a hawk can tote off a healthy, dead chicken. An eagle, yep, bu ta hawk? It would have to be a big old hawk and a small chicken.

So that kinda sorta throws it back onto a domestic animal possibly.

Time to break out the game cameras.

 

[lazy gardener]

A hawk can easily eat enough off the carcass to then make it light enough for it to carry. I've seen a Northern Goshawk pick up a full grown RIR and fly a short distance with her. This, while her carcass was intact.

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

lost a few to dogs ...sounds about right ...check for holes dug under your fencing ..

 

[Morrigan]

Possibly a weasel? I've had them attack during the day and the only thing they ate in two of cases was part of the neck. Eating the wing, however, does not sound normal for a weasel.

 

[happyfrenchman]

If it is as you say, no other dogs can get in, I would suspect one of your dogs. It really sounds like a dog attack. If another dog was in your yard, would your dogs permit that? (Mine would not). I hope it is not your dogs. That would be the worst. You might be able to tell by bringing your dogs out around the chickens and seeing how they react to each other now.

 

[dmanhefner]

When a hawk kills it usually drags it to a bush, fence post etc. Not always. Will look like a feather bomb went off as they strip feathers. Hawks and owls come back to finish the meal, and you said you birds were virtually unmarked. That pretty much rules them out. Where are you located? It help to know if you have weasels in your area.

 

[steve232]

I kinda do think it sounds like a dog with one exception. Usually dogs will kill more than one at a time and leave them. Don't believe it was a hawk either because they do eat their prey. That leaves me wondering about a possible weasel. Do you have any idea what time of day it happened ?