Chicken Killer

[Let There Be Light]

Two days ago my rooster Rockabilly was killed. (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-killed-my-rooster.1467569/)
Today my chicken Dolly was killed, too. I saw her in the morning and couldn't find her in the evening when I was giving the chickens and guineas treats. Tonight I found multiple piles of feathers, similar to the piles of Rockabilly's feathers, but closer to the house. No blood, bones, or carcass found.
Does anyone know what this might be? We have dogs, bobcats, hawks, among other things that I suspect. (We live in Texas.) Any help is appreciated!

 

[my gang eats grass]

Sounds like a hawk. They leave piles of feathers. If it was a four legged predator it would leave a trail, if it was a fox there would be no feathers.

 

[Let There Be Light]

Sounds like a hawk. They leave piles of feathers. If it was a four legged predator it would leave a trail, if it was a fox there would be no feathers.

I thought hawks left bones? Maybe I'm wrong...
There were multiple trails around there, but we (including the animals) are often in that area and we walk trough the high grass a lot, so I wouldn't really know if there was a new trail.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. It could have been most any predator. I'm not trying to sound rude but since you free range that's the risk you take and you will loose some birds. Lessons learned the hard way. Now my birds all have nice large pens. I got tired of feeding the predators. Many predators will lurk looking for an opportunity and you will never see them. If you have a game camera put it up and you may discover what has been lurking and can make a plan to protect the rest of your birds. Good luck...

 

[Ascholten]

If it's a fox, is not going to be easy to catch. They are considered sly and crafty for a reason. If it got one bird, it knows there are more and will pick them off one by one until either they are gone or you figure out a way to kill it.

Since you know its a fox, predator identified, but yes hawks or eagles can grab and run with their food too, especially if they got a nest of lil ones they are feeding, they can snatch it up and take off with it, take it to the nest and you won't see much except feathers, maybe some blood.

Trapping killing foxes is one thing, raptors, an entirely different world, so please check the laws in your area before you start setting up trip wires / dynamite etc etc. YES, it gets very frustrating to see a flock decimated by a predator but it's not worth doing prison time over.

Aaron

 

[Let There Be Light]

Thank you all, my dad saw the fox this morning. It snatched a chicken by the garage while the dogs were there! My dad is going to try and take care of it...
Thankfully it only got some of my chicken pets, not my chicken friends.

 

[cmom]

You can catch a fox in a live trap. Use one of the birds it killed as bait. This one killed my most favorite bird. I caught it and eliminated it. It kept coming back.

 

[Let There Be Light]

It was not a fox, it was a coyote. I saw it running around the chicken coops. I couldn't tell if it was our wolf-looking dog or if it was the predator at first.

 

[McChooky]

The best way to protect your flock is by building them a predator proof coop and run with electric fence all around it. It'll keep out flying predators and diggers or big prey like a fox ,coyote ,dog or bob cat.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Sounds like a hawk. They leave piles of feathers. If it was a four legged predator it would leave a trail, if it was a fox there would be no feathers.

This is untrue. A fox has been getting into my coop, and all that’s left is feathers.