A very bad day

[fatsu]

I woke up and started the morning feedings today. I noticed my little 4 month old chicks didn't come running as they usually do. I began to search around for them and came across piles of feathers then a few drops of blood. I searched for hours and never found any of the chickens or any bodies. I'm wondering what would kill 10 chickens and haul off every body. I've had problems with dogs before but they usually kill just to kill and leave the bodies behind. I'm guessing a skunk or coon but would they haul 10 birds off?

 

[pinkwindsong]

oh how horrible.. that is alot of birds to haul off.. good luck at finding the attacker.. and stopping it..

)O(
Pink

 

[flowergirl60]

Could it be a pack of coyotes? I'm so sorry.

 

[Rebel Rooster]

The first think that I thought, was coyotes... sorry that happened to you... Dang!

 

[M.sue]

I'm thinking like the others....coyotes. So sorry that you lost so many

.

 

[SuziQ991]

Don't give up, some may just be scared and hiding. Hopefully they will come back!

 

[fatsu]

Well I continued my search. Found my OE red pyle dead. Nothing ate off it. Had some bruising around the neck but no punctures I could see. I hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, Maybe a few of the 10 will still be out there. I found about 5 piles of feathers so far, none black so maybe there's a chance for my lil black bantam. This is just a horrible thing to wake up and find. We do have coyotes around but I have never seen them close to home. I can hear them late at night across the road from us yipping. I'm think someones dog might have got out and caused some havoc. My wife said I look like I lost my children

Guess its time to reinforce the pens

 

[bryan99705]

Time to tighten the fence, skirt it, top it with wire (netting is not gonna stop them) and insure your wire openings are small enough to stop them. Whatever got you will be back! Might want to lock down till you get the improvements completed.

 

[M.sue]

If you've heard them across the road/field then I'll be 99.9% sure it was them. A loose dog wouldn't be able to tackle a hen house so quietly and fast....that is with out making a ruckus to wake you.
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[fatsu]

Thats the plan lock down until the perp is caught or dead. I'm just wondering how many there are I can't see 1 animal hauling off 10 birds. I've been searching around for more evidence of what may have caused the damage. Only thing I've found was a trail of feathers and 1 bird and a trail leading off into the high grass near the wood line. Spoke with all the neighbors 1 said he heard them carrying on around daybreak but figured they were just doing there normal stuff. Other than that guess I'll bait the live-traps and have the gun & ammo ready

At 10 birds a go I'll be out of birds in less than a week