Did my dogs kill the chickens or something else?

[Sorrelfur]

Raccoons can open that bolt latch. Try using a latch and lock.

The top one I think is a latch and a hook, I would take a picture of it if I could but I'm actually trying to clean a scratch I got-the rooster got me in the ankle I think he was freaked out.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I'll admit raccoons never even crossed my mind! I do have a nephew around five, I might watch him for a day and see if he can open they're coop door.

Just ask if he can open it. I use a hook and eye to keep mine closed with it being at my eye level and I’m 6’ tall. The door is also tight enough that it takes pushing in on the door to remove the latch.

 

[Sorrelfur]

Raccoons can open that bolt latch. Try using a latch and lock.

The top lock is like a thing you shut and then we have this circle like lock to put around it? It's so hard to explain, the lock goes through the thing we shut and snaps down

 

[Cryss]

I'm going to close the hole and start putting them in at night. They used to go in their pen at night but suddenly stopped wanting to come in. Most would go in but a few stragglers refused and would run off to hide in the fields. I think now with only four hens lefts they'll all go in, I hope. Our coop door has two locks on it, one it like a sliding lock? If that makes sense

The kind that are sliding bolts? Raccoons are masters of those. There are some bolt type that have an additional part that blocks the bolt from being unlocked unless you release the lock. Bolts are just for closing, not for locking. Here's an example. You'd slip a caribineer in the loop to lock it.
National Mfg N165506 Slide/Sliding Bolt Door/Gate Latch, Satin Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AXZ9HQ/?tag=backy-20

 

[Sorrelfur]

The kind that are sliding bolts? Raccoons are masters of those. There are some bolt type that have an additional part that blocks the bolt from being unlocked unless you release the lock. Bolts are just for closing, not for locking. Here's an example. You'd slip a caribineer in the loop to lock it.
National Mfg N165506 Slide/Sliding Bolt Door/Gate Latch, Satin Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AXZ9HQ/?tag=backy-20

Yeah the bottom one is just a slide lock but the top one looks kind like this:

Except instead of one of those d rings we use this really hard to open circle snapping lock thing

 

[Cryss]

Yeah the bottom one is just a slide lock but the top one looks kind like this:
View attachment 1819638
Except instead of one of those d rings we use this really hard to open circle snapping lock thing

Yup carribiner. Maybe you need a new one.

 

[cmom]

Lights won’t deter any predator. That is an old tale.

I agree, I have a motion light and the predators will set it off.

 

[Sorrelfur]

Yup carribiner. Maybe you need a new one.

That's what those things are called? I never knew that, but we don't use one of those we don't like them, though I might use them to keep out backyard gates locked. The thing we use on the latch is circle shaped

 

[cmom]

I have been lucky, even though I have seen coons, so far they haven't bothered my birds.

 

[sourland]

To me it sounds like a returning predator at night, but that does not let your dogs off the hook 100 %. If they have been running around the pens and spooking your birds it is possible that the 'playing' may have inadvertently escalated. Look your birds up at night, train the young dog, and do not allow your dogs to be with your flock unsupervised.