What is killing my hens?

[a1sassygal]

We don't have weasels but we do have raccoons,skunks,coyotes,owls&chicken hawks.do you think it was possible for the hens to have heart attacks since o feathers were on the ground or inside their henhouse?

 

[CrazyTalk]

I'm not sure where you live, but the majority of people in the industrialized world have weasels - they just don't commonly see them. If you live on an island (or africa), fine, but don't rule them out elsewhere just because you haven't seen them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel#mediaviewer/File:Mustela_range.png

 

[grammiekims]

I've seen a predator item advertised that blinks a red light that presumably keeps predators from coming near. I think I saw this in the Premier catalog, where I got my first "plastic" electric fencing.

 

[lollipopguild]

I've seen a predator item advertised that blinks a red light that presumably keeps predators from coming near.  I think I saw this in the Premier catalog, where I got my first "plastic" electric fencing.

NiteGuard

 

[Pillow]

Dang it! We had a good run this year and only lost one layer this spring.... But this evening 6 (SIX) got killed around 7:00 PM. Bold predator right in the backyard.

Lost one layer, 4 pullets, and one roster. Dang!!!

9 left.

We found one body, neck kill but really clean, nothing eaten. The other 5 we cannot find.

I suspect Mr Foxy was taking them back to the den.

Time to get the trap out! No mercy, there will be blood.

 

[centrarchid]

Use carcass as bait. Fox likely would have tried to retrieve that bird shortly but was interupted. Odds are it will return about same time tomorrow for attempt at repeat.

 

[kltrett175]

Raccoons or coons are notorious for killing just because and leaving the animal because they are quick and can get a chicken much easier than a opossum or skunk . So if a skunk or opossum gets a chicken they will prob eat as much of it as possible . Don't know much about foxes or weasels though don't have them in my area . Oh and the only way snakes eat is whole they don't take bites or pieces .

 

[Spry Lady]

For the past two mornings I found a dead chick or baby guines (about 5 weeks old). From what I can tell, nothing has eaten any parts of them. Can anyone tell me whats causing their deaths.

 

[NEChickenNoob]

You're going to have to observe them very keenly. Sounds like disease if no predation. Do you have any crazy neighbors. Have you done an autopsy?

 

[Puzzlefish]

Hey all.

Got a different scenario that any I have read here so far..

Found one of my ladies out behind the chicken house this morning..
The door blew open evidently last night,..I had it latched, but it must've not "caught" all the way, and when the wind picked up..well..
It was quite windy last night (and all day)

Anyway..there was nothing left but the wings, legs, and part of the back..it was all still attached.

Head, neck, breast meat, wing meat, leg meat, innards....all gone.
I didn't see where all the feathers went, either..the back of the chicken house is sheltered from the wind, so..they didn't blow away...
My chicken house is in the large fenced back yard.
I'm familar with the head and neck gone kills....but, this mystifies me.
I've never seen anything eat this much of a chicken.

We do have some large feral cats....
No evidence of anything coming *under* the fence...