Fancy Pants is dead

[misty7850]

I am so sad this morning. I went out to let my free range chickens out of the barn and noticed in the side yard there lay my 5 month old pullet. Looked as if someone or something had chopped off her head, that was the only thing missing and she didn't have any chew marks on her that I could see.
I called her "Fancy Pants" cause the feathers on her butt were all curly, looked like she had on fancy bloomers.
I didn't notice any missing last night when I close them in.. but it was kinda dark. I then went back to check the rest of my brood and notcied my grey silkie is nowhere to be seen either.
A few days ago I had a white leghorn come up missing.
I am so sad and frustrated.

Here is a picture of her about a month ago while she was still in the baby pen. I just took her out of the baby pen about a day after that picture was taken. She had grown a considerable amount and was the biggest one of my flock, with the exception of one rooster.

 

[birdsofthefarm]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=249932&p=2

my chicken died too, here are some answers

 

[The Chicken People]

Sorry for your losses!

 

[Camelot Farms]

Awww. I'm sorry. Its hard to lose one of the girls.

 

[misty7850]

Oh my God, its a fox. I heard my gunea hen making a terrible fuss and ran out just to see a red fox carrying off one of my black australorpe hens. it had just killed my 5 month old black australorpe rooster.
I found 2 of my black australorpe hens and my buff orpington I coaxed them back in the chicken coop along with my gunea hen.
I'm still missing the other 8 from my flock..

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

You were smart to get them all in. I'm having to deal with a fox as well. I'm now keeping a gun within reach when I'm at home and outside. Had I had it the first time I saw him...he'd be dead. I hope I get another oppportunity real soon. In the mean time...the gun has come in handy twice. We now have two less coons to worry about.

Good Luck...so sorry for the loss of your chickens..."Fancy Pants" was a pretty little thing. Hope you find more of the others that are still missing.

 

[koifarm]

Foxes are problematic. Once they sense a convenient food supply they will come in every day to get a meal, most often for kits or babies. When a momma fox has a litter the demand for food increases exponentially.
I've had foxes take hens right from in front of me, literally five feet from me. The only way to control fox predation is to keep the hens in the coop day and night or, eliminate the fox. Around here I prefer to let the foxes alone, there are so few of them left due to development these days and I don't mind losing a hen now and again or cooping them up all day when one fox is a problem. We are backed up to a huge upland forest with a creek running through it so there is plenty of habitat for deer, hogs, fox, coyote, bobcat, coons and possums.
My neighbor has hens and keeps his cooped up, lets them out about two hours before dark and sits with a .22 to guard them. His coop is ground level, triple wire protected with a skirt of wire around the bottom. He is right next to the woods next to a pond and has had some problems with leaving hens out all day but no problems at night.

 

[NGT ANGL]

I am so sorry for your loss of Fancy Pants

 

[Bec]

I am so sorry

I have had several losses lately too! It's that season again!

 

[misty7850]

Thanks everyone for you kind words.
I had 2 more show up, My 5 month old Dominque hen and 5 month old Black australorpe hen. now the only one unaccounted for is the 2nd silkie rooster.
I found grey feathers from my silkie hen so I assume the fox got her too.