18 Chickens killed

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
The first time today that my heart was lightened.....I'll get the incubator tomorrow and follow your suggestions. I only took the ones from the last two days. How "old" could they have been in the fridge to attempt to hatch them?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Oh, I'm so sorry! We don't have mink around here...and I wish the trapper would have called me back so he could help us. We have a have-a-heart trap but my husband thinks what got them is too big for our trap....I'll be sleeping with one eye open tonight....

It so hard losing these peck and poopers!

If no mink in your area, I would say something in the weasel family also... it's amazing how many one of those evil little critters will kill in one night! Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself! They kill just for the fun of it!
Yep, you can really get attached to them!
So sorry.

 

[SeaHen]

I don't have any familiarity with weasels, but I've seen skunks do this. I'm so very sorry.

 

[theFox]

What got your birds isn't very large.

That havaheart might just be the thing, I'd bait it with a carcass, and set it now.

Make certain your Roo is in something with no larger than 1/2 " mesh over any openings.

 

[Ivywoods]

I know you said you were told they didn't think raccoons would do this, but what you describe sounds almost exactly like what some raccoons did to us one time. Those little masked outlaws!

Set a trap. They will be back, whatever it was.

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Quote:
I am concerned the attackers are human. Although we are in a rural area and we are friendly with all or neighbors, no known enemies....we've been here all our lives, it feels suspicous to me. They didn't freeze...we're in Northern CA...it's been in the 70's during the day....plus, they have a hen house that they go in. Whatever it was chased them out of the hen house into the coup area, then piled them up after they were killed. The gate doesn't lock but it was firmly shut, I actually had to struggle a bit with it to open it this morning.

I'm appreciating all the input and condolences...thank you.

I am thinking human because your original post stated that only a few heads were missing, and the lack of blood. With 18 dead chickens, by an animal, there should be quite a bit of blood. Or so you would think. I can't think of an animal, especially a small animal that can kill a chicken without spilling blood, except for a snake but its the wrong time of year for snakes. If they were dead with no trace of blood... sounds like broken necks to me.

Rooster crowing in the middle of the night can make for angry neighbors. My 3 silkie roos crow all hours of the night and day. Going to cull them soon before my neighbors start to complain... or worse. I also live in a very rural area, but a few houses are within eye sight, so I think they are within hearing distance too.

 

[crosbygroup]

Quote:
The first time today that my heart was lightened.....I'll get the incubator tomorrow and follow your suggestions. I only took the ones from the last two days. How "old" could they have been in the fridge to attempt to hatch them?

They can be in the fridge for quite a long time and still hatch. I bought Trader Joes Grocery store (fertile) eggs and out of 36 eggs I had about 22 hatch. These had been refrigerated, shipped, and refrigerated again and they did just fine. Good luck!

 

[Davaroo]

That sucks. Sorry.

Set some traps, baited with what else? - chicken. Odds are the offenders are still nearby.
My moneys on weasels or opossums.

 

[RainbowBirds_of_a_Feather]

Aloha &

,

Sorry to hear about your loss!! That really makes me

when people loose their flock. Because I had that with my neighbors dogs a long, long while back. But I think it could have been a weasel or an animal that is part of that family tree.

I also encourage you to get new hens for your lonely roo. I would hate to hear that doodler will die of loneliness.

He may even change his mode when it comes to predators. He may even attack the critter.

 

[abChicken]

I think skunk is also in weasel family. They are blood suckers