another mystery

[hdowden]

had 2 chickens that i just introduced to the flock 2 days ago (ut them in at roosting time and yesterday was their first day with the flock). well they were accidently left out of the coop and something got them. the white cockerel had no injuries just a lot of brusing from the center of the back down along with some pulled feathers but there were no punture wounds some flesh was pulled (like when you take a very thin none bleedable layer off of yourself by accident) but other than that nothing, just a little blood from pulled feathers. the black pullet had absolutely nothing wrong with her but some blood in her mouth, no wounds no pulled feathers nothing. these 2 were bought togther and have stayed togther for their whole qurentine time so i know it wasnt from them fighting. i also had some baby ducks die out of the blue yesterday as well and had put them in a bucket to be barried today but their bodies are gone and there are no signs of baby down or anything from those ducks. then to make it even more of a grrrrrrrrr one of my ee chicks somehow got pulled through the bares of their pen the only thing there was a bunch of feathers from all 3 of the chicks (2 safe and sound 1 gone). my guess is one of the 3-5 dogs that roam around, mind you these are large dogs with the smallest being the size of a large beagal and is a hunting breed. other than that i have no idea but i would think there would be more evidence but there isn't. makes me made because i just got these a little over a month ago.

 

[melodym]

Kinda sounds like dogs to take the whole chicken away. We have a couple of hounds next door and had one whole chicken missing but all we ever found was feathers. I'm not sure about the too fighting. I'd just keep an eye out on them. Good luck and keep us posted I'm interested to know what it could be. I would have said snake but you'd just have dead chickens if it was a bite. Who kknows.

 

[hdowden]

it was only the babies that went missing, the two adults were by the coop. sigh

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Sorry for your loss!

 

[melodym]

Have you figured out what your predator might be? M aunt who's raised chickens for some 30yrs said even if you don't expect it sometimes racoons and possums harm flocks.