15 of 23 chickens killed in one day

[a.greenleaf]

I have been lurking on this site for at least two years but decided to join to share my story. Yesterday started out like most week days, I wake up, let the dog out, check the chickens, clean water, fill the food. After getting ready for work I let them out to free range at about 7:45am. I came home from work early at about 3:00pm to a silent yard with feathers where I park. My first thought was "crap lost one of the chickens. Most of the time the scent of my 10 month old 100lb Cane Corso keeps everything out of the yard, so I figured it was a hawk or owl picked one off. Boy was I wrong. started finding dead chickens one by one. Looks like or big jersey giant rooster, stew, stood up for the girls and died for his effort. found them stashed under logs and rocks all over my three acres. The were buried, to be saved for later. All told 9 bodies found and 6 missing all together. I am thinking it was more then one predator to run off with 6. I am thinking Coyotes. What are your thoughts.

 

[Trish1974]

I'm thinking dogs, coyotes, or fox. If coyote or fox they were probably caching them one by one and your return home interrupted the process.

 

[chickendreams24]

Stashed like that yeah I would say probably fox or coyotes. Fox has been our worst predator except rat and mink. If they were laying out in the open all over I would say probably domestic dog. My guess is fox. They could be hunting for kits or teaching their kits to hunt. I'm sorry.

I hope you find the missing birds.

 

[a.greenleaf]

Yeah I hope (very little hope) to see some return today. I was thinking dogs till I found them stashed, using the lay of the land is not a dogs forte. They were so spread out I was shocked. the most annoying thing to me was that they were not even eaten, just killed and stashed or left. If you are going to kill them at least eat them.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Fox or coyote. Also, Welcome to BYC!!

 

[Northern.Ontario]

My guess is fox. I lost 4 to a fox in the span of 45 minutes (eating dinner inside with my family while the savagery was ensuing 100 feet from my home). He had one in his mouth and was running away to stash it when I sent my dog after him, he dropped the bird. A fox will kill as many as it can, very quickly and then start hiding them. Only reason it happened was because I had temporarily turned off my electric fence (my 2 kids were playing outside).

 

[a.greenleaf]

Well if I see the little bugger I will let my girl out to deal with it. I don't think it will be coming back after that.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Well if I see the little bugger I will let my girl out to deal with it. I don't think it will be coming back after that.

The fox will definitely BE BACK SOON. It knows where the chicken buffet is. And the fox will be bold. Mine came back a few days later and I watched him charge right into the fence; it was on. He got a good shock, ran away and I haven't seen him since. You will want to keep your remaining chickens on lock down until you figure out a solution.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I have been lurking on this site for at least two years but decided to join to share my story. Yesterday started out like most week days, I wake up, let the dog out, check the chickens, clean water, fill the food. After getting ready for work I let them out to free range at about 7:45am. I came home from work early at about 3:00pm to a silent yard with feathers where I park. My first thought was "crap lost one of the chickens. Most of the time the scent of my 10 month old 100lb Cane Corso keeps everything out of the yard, so I figured it was a hawk or owl picked one off. Boy was I wrong. started finding dead chickens one by one. Looks like or big jersey giant rooster, stew, stood up for the girls and died for his effort. found them stashed under logs and rocks all over my three acres. The were buried, to be saved for later. All told 9 bodies found and 6 missing all together. I am thinking it was more then one predator to run off with 6. I am thinking Coyotes. What are your thoughts.

Dog... the worst killers

 

[MissChick@dee]

I can’t imagine SO sorry for your loss