Fox or coyote?

[JSfunnyfarm]

So we’ve lost 7 chickens in the last month in a half. They just disappear. No remnants or anything. This morning I walk out to feed everyone and notice a lot of feathers on the ground. A pile in our chicken run area and another couple of piles by our horse stalls. No blood, no body parts, just a ton of feathers! Only this they were our big roosters feathers! What does that! Fred was a 1 year and a couple months old Blue Cuckoo Marans and Pumpkin was a 9 month old New Hampshire Red. Fed was good size and weight! Pumpkin was getting there in size! My only thought is coyote. I’m beyond sad and mad! And now have plans on revamping our chicken area! And getting some sort of camera! Our internet doesn’t reach our barn so I’m trying to decide a good camera to set up.

Photos are Fred, Pumpkin, and then the feathers from this morning.

Any thoughts and tips would be appreciated!!

 

[All4Eggz]

So sorry this happened to you.
Those chickens were beautiful!

Likely a fox. I’ve found that foxes leave lots of feathers behind.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

So sorry this happened to you.
Those chickens were beautiful!

Likely a fox. I’ve found that foxes leave lots of feathers behind.

Thank you. I know it’s part of owning them, but stinks none the less!

And thank you for your response! I wasn’t sure. If it could be fox or coyote. I hear coyotes a lot around here, but we have horses near by this happened. Wouldn’t think they’d be brazen enough.

 

[Yardmom]

Any smell left behind? Were any birds taken at the same time? Sometimes the fox leaves a scent. The fox tend to leave more feathers than a coyote.
Coyotes are more likely to hunt together, but fox will hunt with their young. We have had similar issues lately. We have not spotted our predator, but it took a mature muskovy drake that probably weighed close to 20 pounds.

 

[Yardmom]

Both can be brazen when they have young. We have had both come through the horse pasture past the goats into the doorway of the hay barn.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

Any smell left behind? Were any birds taken at the same time? Sometimes the fox leaves a scent. The fox tend to leave more feathers than a coyote.
Coyotes are more likely to hunt together, but fox will hunt with their young. We have had similar issues lately. We have not spotted our predator, but it took a mature muskovy drake that probably weighed close to 20 pounds.

Wow! Sorry for your loss too! I didn’t notice any scent. Our ground right now is hard as cement so didn’t see any tracks. The more I’m reading the more I’m thinking it is a fox.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

Wow! Sorry for your loss too! I didn’t notice any scent. Our ground right now is hard as cement so didn’t see any tracks. The more I’m reading the more I’m thinking it is a fox.

It did take two roosters this time, a small rooster and hen one time, and then the time before a pretty good sized hen!

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

Both can be brazen when they have young. We have had both come through the horse pasture past the goats into the doorway of the hay barn.

Wow! Crazy!! This is our first issue with a predator. Knock on wood no snakes or small predators have bothered them. We do have several barn cats that seem to keep those type things away. After this morning though I got a little more concerned! Two roosters if a decent size!

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

Any smell left behind? Were any birds taken at the same time? Sometimes the fox leaves a scent. The fox tend to leave more feathers than a coyote.
Coyotes are more likely to hunt together, but fox will hunt with their young. We have had similar issues lately. We have not spotted our predator, but it took a mature muskovy drake that probably weighed close to 20 pounds.

So it rained last night and I found tracks and two more chickens gone.

 

[Yardmom]

The longer than wide track with claws just showing in front to the best of my knowledge is a coyote.