Chickens all dead

[Korkat]

Weasel, mink, or some type of dog or coyote would be my guess. Not many things will kill a flock in one go like that. So sorry for your loss. I recommend getting a game camera set up since it may come back.

Thank you, after looking into it I agree, seems Weasel or fox would be the most likely culprit.

 

[cmom]

So sorry about your loss. My first guess would be a fox. If you have a game camera put it up because now that the predator has made a kill it will be back. I'm pretty sure it has been lurking looking for an opportunity and found one. I hope this doesn't sound rude because it isn't meant to be but that is the risk you take when you free range. Lessons learned the hard way for me too. I have several cameras up on my property and see predators regularly on them. I have seen some so often on my cameras that I have been able to identify them by markings or injuries. Most predators develop routines and routes. You can bet your predator will be back. Here most of the predators roam at night but usually during the spring when the predators are looking for mates or hunting for their young I see them out more during the day. I hope you are able to figure out what your predator is. I know that a camera can't catch the predator except in a picture but then at least you will know what you're dealing with. Personally I would set traps an eliminate it because your birds have been discovered and it will be back. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

I don't free range anymore but do have nice large pens for my birds covered with good heavy duty netting and electric wires around the coops and pens and concrete under the gates all due to losses from predators in the past. Nothing gets past the electric wires. It may not be pretty but it works. Again, good luck...

 

[Spacekitten7]

We had 6 chickens that were now about a year and a half old. We lock them up every night and let them free range every day in our fenced yard letting them out of the coop before we leave for work. This morning my wife let them out just before 8am when she was leaving for work. I came down around 10 am since I am off today and the chickens were all dead spread out across the back yard, a couple of plumes of feathers here and there. I never heard anything. One was clearly bit on the back of the neck, one was half eaten, and the other four appear to have injuries or bite marks on their back. No dogs around, and nothing else that gives me any clues what happened. We have had chickens for about 5 years and have never had something like this happen. We would occasionally lose one here and there but nothing like this. We are so upset. Any ideas? This all happened between 8 and 10 am. We would have never thought something like this would happen in the morning. Four of them I had to really look to find any type of injury but nothing looked that bad.

I'm so sorry.

 

[MountainWoman73]

From the sound of it, I would also guess fox or dog. Those are the only predators I've had take out a whole bunch of birds at once like that.

 

[Korkat]

So sorry about your loss. My first guess would be a fox. If you have a game camera put it up because now that the predator has made a kill it will be back. I'm pretty sure it has been lurking looking for an opportunity and found one. I hope this doesn't sound rude because it isn't meant to be but that is the risk you take when you free range. Lessons learned the hard way for me too. I have several cameras up on my property and see predators regularly on them. I have seen some so often on my cameras that I have been able to identify them by markings or injuries. Most predators develop routines and routes. You can bet your predator will be back. Here most of the predators roam at night but usually during the spring when the predators are looking for mates or hunting for their young I see them out more during the day. I hope you are able to figure out what your predator is. I know that a camera can't catch the predator except in a picture but then at least you will know what you're dealing with. Personally I would set traps an eliminate it because your birds have been discovered and it will be back. Good luck...

All great advice. Thank you very much.