Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Blazinga]

I did not witness it today, but my brother said they were big hawks. What I'm wondering though is if in the chaos he's mistaken the hawks for juvenile eagles. I do know there is a pair of bald eagles that nest along the river about 7 miles away. If that is the case I'm in a even worse position then I am with dealing with hawks. And to clarify, didn't mean shoot straight in the air, will shoot toward the hillside if it comes to that for scaring them away.

Don't bald eagles primarily eat fish?

 

[BY Bob]

Don't bald eagles primarily eat fish?

Or are primarily scavengers, I thought?

 

[rural mouse]

I think I would leave them locked up. The predator will still come back to check. That way you can deal with the predator without the chickens in the way.

I'm feeling steely eyed determination from you right now. Go get them.

If it's a dog, I need a chicken out as bait...wait, Montana says you can shoot a dog on your property (Not on leash/voice commands) just for being on your property....nope, still need bait for my peace of mind that it's a chicken killer. Plus caught another mouse. This one going to release in a bucket, then see how the chickens respond. The stampeed in the coop could cause damage....also don't know if the cat will let me take it out there or jump into the bucket...again after one.

 

[BY Bob]

If it's a dog, I need a chicken out as bait...wait, Montana says you can shoot a dog on your property (Not on leash/voice commands) just for being on your property....nope, still need bait for my peace of mind that it's a chicken killer. Plus caught another mouse. This one going to release in a bucket, then see how the chickens respond. The stampeed in the coop could cause damage....also don't know if the cat will let me take it out there or jump into the bucket...again after one.

Best of luck to you today. You need to know what it was and eliminate the threat if possible.

 

[Blazinga]

I freaking hate predators. I know they're just trying to eat, but I'd rather they not choose my children as an easy meal. A few days ago my friend saw a fox and I immediately bolted out the door to run it off. They said the ducks would be safe because they were inside their coop, but that chicken wire looked easy to break through.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Came home from work today, having had a good day. found pullets (and cockerel) up near the house. Closer than normal, but they've been working their way closer. Got pasta treat. They came back up in a hurry. then saw 1 off in the yard, not moving. Go check it out.....Dead Nika, my Dominique. no obvious signs of cause, but cold. Looking around, see Sheba, my RIR, also a corpse. See little Storm, running around (NOT a corpse), where's mama? Keep looking. Find corpse of the double laced golden wyandotte, followed by Dora (the pic posted earlier). Have seen Silver and a partridge rock....not sure if Mama or not, but not near Storm. Find Mama on other side of Russian olives, also a corpse (definitely mama as her comb is smaller than the 2IC's comb. Then spot Rusty on the track down below. Feathers everywhere thigh plucked. Finally (after talking with nearest neighbors (1 of whom also has chickens)), find Thing 1, the smart Houdan, torn open. Never did find Helen, my silver Phoenix. Based upon all the senseless killing and the size difference between Rusty and Helen, the smallest, I'm thinking a dog. I need a fence. RIP feathered friends.

View attachment 2810433View attachment 2810432View attachment 2810440
View attachment 2810426
Of the birds in pictures, I still have little Storm in #4, and the barred bird in the pic around the feeder. I also have the 2 with just tails showing. I took the pic of Rusty on Sunday. View attachment 2810449
No one saw/heard anything so don't know if it was someone's pet or a stray. One of the neighbors did see a stray the other day. The foxes back in May I understand. feeding family. This is senseless.

How terrible, and a horror to find. I am so sorry, you must be devastated and sick. So sorry. Have you considered one or more fox? Possibly weasels.

I did not witness it today, but my brother said they were big hawks. What I'm wondering though is if in the chaos he's mistaken the hawks for juvenile eagles. I do know there is a pair of bald eagles that nest along the river about 7 miles away. If that is the case I'm in a even worse position then I am with dealing with hawks. And to clarify, didn't mean shoot straight in the air, will shoot toward the hillside if it comes to that for scaring them away.

Possibly Golden Eagles, they are more of an actual predator eagle than Bald Eagles. Bald Eagles prefer carcass harvesting over hunting on land, and fishing. And a chicken is pretty heavy for a Bald Eagle to carry. I can't see Red Tails flying off with a predated chicken.

 

[BY Bob]

I freaking hate predators. I know they're just trying to eat, but I'd rather they not choose my children as an easy meal. A few days ago my friend saw a fox and I immediately bolted out the door to run it off. They said the ducks would be safe because they were inside their coop, but that chicken wire looked easy to break through.

A fox will chew through chicken wire. Easily. That's why you should use hardware cloth.

Dogs (fox) deserve a much worse reputation than they have. They do kill for fun.

 

[BY Bob]

How terrible, and a horror to find. I am so sorry, you must be devastated and sick. So sorry. Have you considered one or more fox? Possibly weasels.

Possibly Golden Eagles, they are more of an actual predator eagle than Bald Eagles. Bald Eagles prefer carcass harvesting over hunting on land, and fishing. And a chicken is pretty heavy for a Bald Eagle to carry. I can't see Red Tails flying off with a predated chicken.

Yes, a golden eagle makes more sense. I did not think of them. I went right to bald eagles. I hope you are able to find out quickly today. Good luck to you.

 

[BY Bob]

Possibly weasels.

As someone who has lost chickens to weasels, it is obvious when you have a weasel. They only usually take 1 chicken and usually do it at night. The wound is also very clear. You will find a chicken with no head or a head barely attached. This was no weasel.

 

[rural mouse]

How terrible, and a horror to find. I am so sorry, you must be devastated and sick. So sorry. Have you considered one or more fox? Possibly weasels.

Possibly Golden Eagles, they are more of an actual predator eagle than Bald Eagles. Bald Eagles prefer carcass harvesting over hunting on land, and fishing. And a chicken is pretty heavy for a Bald Eagle to carry. I can't see Red Tails flying off with a predated chicken.

Not likely wild predator: no marks on pullets (except the last one), just somewhat squished (like large mouth/broken bones but no blood). The fox took the bodies. This left all but the last 1 and didn't shred/eat any. The 6 pullets were 13 weeks old, so small enough that a red-tailed hawk could take one. A hawk won't take that many though. Weasels will kill just to kill, but there's blood everywhere, and the only bloody body I found was on the last body I found. I suspect a dog, not a starving stray as didn't try to eat any of the early kills, just part of the last (and took the final body with).