flock missing - no signs!

[Katydid2011]

Wing clipping... I lost two chickens to dogs BEFORE I clipped their flight wings. Both times it happened in an instant and both times it was because the bird flew over the fence. They were not able to escape the little lap dog that killed them. Since I clipped their wings I haven't had another problem. The fence keeps the chickens in and the dogs and other 4-legged predators out (it's extra effective at keeping 4-legged predators out because it's reinforced on the outside with hot wire). I learned the hard way. I'll never again keep a chicken without clipping its flight wings.

 

[chicmom]

Hello and welcome! I am so sorry you can't find your chickens.....By the way your dog reacted, I fear the worst has happened. Each year, I seem to lose one young pullet, without a trace. Very mysterious. And I've never seen the predator.

I also have a woods surrounding my property. So any number of predators could have taken them, but I suspect a hawk. But a fox or coyote could also have grabbed and ran with one of them.......

Wishing you the best! And I surely hope you find them and they're fine.
Take care!

Sharon

 

[Sjisty]

I hope you find your girls!

If you have coyotes and it was after dark, the chickens would be helpless and would be easy pickings for the yotes to just snatch and run without a trace. Judging the the reaction of your dog, that is what I would guess happened. I sincerely hope I'm wrong and they are just holed up somewhere dry until the rain stops!

 

[buffy_the_egg_layer]

it seems unlike a hawk or coyote to take all three chickens at one time. the pair of coyotes in our woods is the mating pair for the area and defend their territory from other coyotes so im pretty sure it would have had to have been the two of them, no others. there is a red tailed hawk in the neighborhood as well, but only one that ive seen and the hens always take cover when they hear the hawk nearby.

dont most predators take one and leave the rest for another day? three hens in one day seems like a lot for a pair of coyotes or a single hawk.

didnt realize i would be so devastated to lose my girls...

 

[rancher hicks]

Chickens panic and this more times than not causes them to be easy prey..

Now if they can fly over the fence. 4' fence? 5, 6 ? Then they most likely got out and eaten. Don't be surprised there are no feathers. Feathers blow away and it's not likely a coyote needed to do more than clamp down on a chicken to kill it.

One only needs to watch a nature program to see what a bird of prey can do and most likely would have left some sign of an attack.

If you've seen coyote before it's most likely them. I had a dog next door that would scare the chickens to one end of the yard. As I stated chickens panic and most likely went crazy at the sight of coyotes and especially with them running up and down along the fence like dogs/coyote do.

Are there no neighbors near by? Is the area an open space? How big of an area are we talking about? Do you have pics of your yard?

I've seen hens and roosters both run and stick their head in a corner like and Ostrich. Easy pickings for anyone or anything.

I suggest three things.

One, a covered run attached to the coop so they can go out when your not home. ( I let the girls out in the yard when I'm home and the weather is nice.

Two, that your husband (this is a males only thing) go out when it's safe (no one around) and "mark" his territory. Laugh if you must but I've been doing this for two years as many times as I'm out there and need to relieve my self. So far no preds in sight. I even walk into the woods and mark the trees. And for heavens sake use a flash light at night and only when he's sober. It won't be pretty to fall in the prickers.

Three, traps or a gun to deal with the coyotes.

I wish you the best,

Rancher

 

[popsicle]

Hate to tell you, but foxes and coyotes will take whatever they have the energy to catch and cache what they don't eat. I'm sure we've all heard about stray dogs that wipe out an entire flock (happened to a friend of mine, dog killed 25 chickens in a matter of minutes). It's the same instinct just the dogs usually don't know what to do with the birds once they're dead.

I lost five chickens over the course of two days to what I'm sure was one fox. Now my chickens are securely kenneled when we're not home, and we haven't lost one since.

 

[buffy_the_egg_layer]

i should have kept them penned in their run while i wasnt home, but hindsight is always 20-20, right?

i guess i figured the 6' fence was enough to keep a predator out, but if they can fly over it they are easy targets.

depressing way to start the thanksgiving holiday - chickenless.

 

[AlienChick]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm really hoping that they were just spooked and will eventually wander back home.

I had a very sweet Serama hen get spooked by one of my dogs, and she ran into the woods.

Three of us searched the woods for HOURS and could not find her.

I put the Serama rooster in a cage alongside the woods so she could hear him calling her.

Nothing.

I like to think that someone else found her and brought her home and she is now someone else's loving pet.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Have you considered the possibility that someone stole them?

 

[buffy_the_egg_layer]

Quote:
do people really DO that??

the only other thing im considering is my neighbors have chickens and no fence. im the ladies flew over and went to the neighbors yard for a visit, they might have ended up in their coop last night.

also - why would a predator (esp coyotes) go for my hens who are protected by a fence when the neighbors chickens and ducks are unguarded?

still holding onto a last shred of hope here...