Fox attack?? (Warning- content could be considered graphic)

[Chicken_Little11]

Posting tonight with a heavy heart—just lost my entire flock (all seven sweet hens) to what I can only imagine was a fox??

My husband went out to put our girls in the coop for the night. They free-range and roost on top the coop at dusk. He discovered something had killed all of them by eating the heads but leaving their bodies completely intact. Could this predator be a fox? No skunk odor in the air.

Thanks.

 

[FluffyFeathers97]

Owls and birds of prey will often go for the head only and leave the body. Skunks eat bugs, reptiles, frogs, plants, nuts etc and almost never prey on chickens, so I doubt it was that. So sorry for your loss

 

[Momma hen quack]

So so sorry for your loss! Just heart breaking

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Posting tonight with a heavy heart—just lost my entire flock (all seven sweet hens) to what I can only imagine was a fox??

My husband went out to put our girls in the coop for the night. They free-range and roost on top the coop at dusk. He discovered something had killed all of them by eating the heads but leaving their bodies completely intact. Could this predator be a fox? No skunk odor in the air.

Thanks.

I'm sorry about the incident, That is really heart dropping. you can assume that it's because of a fox, but I would rather secure my coop than look for a suspect

 

[Chicken_Little11]

So so sorry for your loss! Just heart breaking

Thank you.

 

[CastleCoop]

Owls and birds of prey will often go for the head only and leave the body. Skunks eat bugs, reptiles, frogs, plants, nuts etc and almost never prey on chickens, so I doubt it was that. So sorry for your loss

Foxes do smell like skunks, so I think that is what they meant. I'm really sorry for your flock!

 

[Punkybrewster]

Fox usually carry the bird away in my experience. Sounds like a coon to me. Were they in the coop or still outside?

 

[Chicken_Little11]

Fox usually carry the bird away in my experience. Sounds like a coon to me. Were they in the coop or still outside?

My chickens were outside —roosting on top of the coop. We put them in and secure the coop every night. We believe a fox jumped up and startled the flock which then fled and it picked them off, one by one.

My husband caught the predator in the act because he said he saw something run off. I just don’t think it had time to carry off the birds.

Anyway- looking for suggestions to prevent further attacks...Motion detector lights on/near coop?? Obviously, secure my ladies inside at dusk- not wait until it’s dark.

Thanks!

 

[Chicken_Little11]

I'm sorry about the incident, That is really heart dropping. you can assume that it's because of a fox, but I would rather secure my coop than look for a suspect

Thank you. True- the focus should be on security; however, knowing what attacked my flock can help prevent future attacks if proper deterrent measures are implemented (i.e. motion detector lights, etc.) Open to suggestions...

 

[Punkybrewster]

Fox have done that to me. My whole flock of guineas in 3 days. They are hard to capture or shoot too. "Sly as a fox" is true.
Keep the birds pennd up in the run. Dont let them free range anymore. Thats the only solution i have for you. Increase the size of your run if needed. It sucks not being able to free range but no matter what time of day, those fox will show up and there quick.