Fox attack! 12 chickens dead and abandoned.

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

So Sorry for you. We had what we assumed was a mama fox take two of our ducks a couple of years ago. They were perfectly secure at night but both were taken midday. I saw the fox at the edge of our pond watching our remaining ducks who were quietly sitting in the middle of the pond as quiet as could be, so I know it was fox. It seems weird that the bodies would have been left. Are you sure it wasn't a mink or other predator? Whatever it was, I know you are completely traumatized and send you healing thoughts.

I’m absolutely certain it was a fox as we do not have other animals in the area that would kill chickens by coming between the wire. I live in Australia so we don’t have minks or that. I have many foxes one even snatched our hen whilst she was free ranging and our Great Dane saved her as the fox was making for the fence. Several nights later it took Dorothy and Alex my most sweetest bantam hen and the second best rooster to the hens.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Man I'm so so sorry, you had some really beautiful birds. I usually try to take the side of wildlife as often as I can because of human encroachment, but it's always crushing when a predator takes your animals and I'd be so upset if this happened to mine.

I get angry at the wildlife then I get sad and then I see reason as to why they killed my hens but the fact they left 12 dead and didn’t take them makes me feel no empathy for them. It makes me even angrier that the fox left them with out their dignity. My beautiful rooster was so regal, so proud but now reduced to being half dead on the ground. He had a broken neck they just hadn’t bothered to finish off what they started.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

So sorry for your loss.....I have a boatload of empathy. Yes they will climb a fence. The bodies will be left for eating later. We set up trail cams and a driveway alarm at the level where they enter the coop. Weasels will create the same awful carnage.....but simply for sport.
I hope this helps....

Thanks that does help

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Oh this breaks my heart! I’m sorry for your loss.

Thankyou

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

sorry to hear about your loss.

i would suggest killing the fox as i highly bet it will be back for more. am not an expert with foxes (too many coyotes for the foxes to be around)
a .22lr might work i would suggest a .22mag at minimum though for a quick clean kill.

but to note it was just doing what nature was intending for it to do. kill and eat to survive.

I would love to kill the fox but I am too young and I live in a gun free country

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

And FYI.....our coop is on stilts with the bottom wired in. I thought they were secure. Till the weasels got in last fall. My poor chickens had no escape route. Weasels chew. The only reason we were able to stop them was by catching them in the act. A month ago, new neighbors with big dogs, took out our turkeys. I lost two guineas 4 nights ago to a fox. I have one left....a very lonely, confused girl. I’m trying to locate some older chickens who are ready to be put out to pasture, for her to have company. So far the alarm has worked well. When she goes in for the night, I check her, then set the alarm.

The thing is my chickens didn’t cluck all they made was a crying sound and it only lasted 30 seconds

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

I am so sorry for your terrible loss! Bear hugs!

Thankyou

 

[50-45-1]

I suggest you get the trail camera and set it up and See what passes around your yard when you are not looking.
You may be supprised what you see.
Then start over with a more secure coop and run. Then get more chickens.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

I suggest you get the trail camera and set it up and See what passes around your yard when you are not looking.
You may be supprised what you see.
Then start over with a more secure coop and run. Then get more chickens.

Yes! Where can you by trail cams from?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I feel your pain and I've been through this too often. I've lost birds to coyotes, mink, raccoons, opossums, dogs, cats and hawks. I've seen a fox grab a chicken but dropped it when I yelled and chased it.
But I have a couple questions. Are you in Britain and are you positive it was a fox? Did anyone actually witness the fox attack? In my experience a fox will kill and carry off a bird. Domestic dogs will kill anything they can catch. A fox is hungry and wants to feed kits so it will carry prey back to the den. I really doubt a fox would kill 12 full grown chickens and let them lay on the ground. Dogs are probably well fed and don't care to do anything but chase and kill.