10 week old chickens got attacked and died! Please help me figure out what happened!

[ChickiNovice]

Hi! I'm rather new to this site and I need everyones help! Whenever I had a problem I always searched on backyard chickens because everyone is so helpful! Heres my problem: At 11 o'clock on Sunday I came home to change my clothes. I saw that my neighbors jack russell was by the cage with my chickens in it. Whenever she would come close to them, they would move to the other side of the cage. I tried to scare her away and when I had gotten in my car, I didn't see her around. But my mistake was that I didn't check to make sure that she wasn't tormenting the chickens and I thought she had gone back home. Unfortunately, I just assumed she had left. I came back home at about 3:15 only to be told by my dad that he was sorry and that all my chickens had been attacked and were dead. My dad told me that my neighbor found them at 1:20 and called my dad to notify him. They found all but one which I found near the street. She was still alive and only had a bite in the butt region but soon after she died as well. All of them had their heads, there were a decent amount of feathers scattered around, the bite marks weren't that large and other than the one in the street, they were fairly close to each other (probably like 2-3 feet apart). I know that the neighbors jack russell likes to hang out by the area where the chicken near the street was found. He just lets her run loose like it's okay. Do you think that it was a fox or the neighbors dog? Because my dad keeps saying the fox was trying to carry the chicken near the street away to its den but wouldn't it had come back for the chicken if it saw that no one was going near it? Also usually foxes eat or take at least one of the animals they kill. What do you think, did the dog or the fox attack my chickens? If you have any questions or need me to clarify anything, please ask. I am glad to help!

 

[farmin4myboys]

When my chickens were killed we only found feathers but we were on the lookout all day only to see our neighbors dog sneak up twice and drag his belly to the coop to see if there were more for the taking. I feel terrible for your loss. I know the feeling unfortunately. Hope this was somewhat helpful.

 

[ChickiNovice]

Thank you so much! Do you think that I should get some more chickens considering those were the only 6 I had or should I wait?

 

[16 paws]

I was wondering how the chickens got out of the coop?

 

[16 paws]

I was wondering how the chickens got out of the coop?

I am so sorry about your loss. I Just lost my first hen last week and it is terrible. She was free ranging and I think it was either a dog or coyote. Her head was taken off and laying next to her body. There was a trail of what looked like a thousand feathers leading to where her body was. My son and I had just been out there with her a few minutes before so we dont know what happened. The rest of her flock was also in the yard but on the other side, and they were not hurt. We were very close by and didnt hear a word! I dont think it was a hawk because her body was under a trellis and low trees. It happened at 11 am on an overcast day. I, like you just want to know what got her. Sorry again that this happened.
Blessings
Marie

 

[ChickiNovice]

Marie, I am so sorry for your loss! I know how it feels and I too was devastated. It's just so difficult to heal without closure. Also the chickens were not in their coop because my dad was almost done building it so it wasn't quite ready. We have this big screen cage that is really sturdy but one side was just covered by a piece of screen with a metal cage in front of it and that's how I think the neighbor's dog forced her way in.

 

[16 paws]

Marie, I am so sorry for your loss! I know how it feels and I too was devastated. It's just so difficult to heal without closure. Also the chickens were not in their coop because my dad was almost done building it so it wasn't quite ready. We have this big screen cage that is really sturdy but one side was just covered by a piece of screen with a metal cage in front of it and that's how I think the neighbor's dog forced her way in.

Ok, that makes sense, I was wondering how the dog got to them. I just called animal control about my neighbors german shepherds wandering around, they will go out and talk to them. You may want to do that also. I am sure that you will someday want to have chickens again. That is a horrible loss but we learn from these things and go on. You do not want to miss out on all the joys that keeping chickens will bring to you and your family. I will try harder to protect my flock but sometimes things happen

Blessings....
Marie

 

[wood_sorrel]

I am very sorry for your loss. just lost a hen yesterday to a fox i think. it is heartbreaking. sending hugs! x

 

[Justin P]

That really sucks sorry to hear it. I dont want to stir things up but it sounds like the dog only because typically with a wild animal attack you would never have found all of them. they may would have all been killed but wild animals hunt for food. I would definately tell your neighbor to keep her dog to herself.

 

[Mac14]

I was at a friends house and she had chickens. Then one of her chickens was missing, but we found her dead in the nearby creek, everything intact. We found out it was her dog. The dog had somehow got her and dragged her to the creek. I'm thinking the dog. I'm so sorry, I've had one of my chickens killed by my dog, and another killed by a skunk or raccoon. I feel your loss.