HELP!!

[RyleeandMax]

Which side of WA are you? Not really any foxes West, are there?

Coyote who was in it partially for sport and partially for food springs to mind!

I live in Western Montana on a farm and I have had problems with raccoons, coyotes, and fox before but never like this. I know that there is a fox near by because I saw it in the field about 1 week ago, but I would think it would take one at a time, and not in the day. I guess not though.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I thought about that too, but my hens are fully grown hens and fairly large, also 4 of my girls and 1 Duck are completely gone. Only a few feathers are still here. Can weasels carry they completely away even if they are big. I haven’t had any problems with weasels in the past so I am completely new to them.

Do you have coyote? They'll hunt for food and then for fun in one fell swoop

 

[ValerieJ]

I did mean you and I'm not even going to lie, I totally mixed you up with the OP while reading responses

That being said we have a persistent Eagle, as well. He's old enough to be fully feathered but still quite small by area standards so I can sympathize! He tried to steal one of my hens while I was working in the yard not ten feet away!

And you know, being Bald Eagles and the nation's symbol of freedom, blah, blah, blah it's not like we can even pelt them with the BB gun! Cocky jerks, if you ask me!

LOL Well, knowing the eagles have their own family to feed I'm not interested in hurting them, but I do want to protect my chickens. They will have to find their food elsewhere.

I don't know what happened to the OP on this thread. We still don't know if the chickens in question were free ranging or not, which alters what type of predator might be involved.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I live in Western Montana on a farm and I have had problems with raccoons, coyotes, and fox before but never like this. I know that there is a fox near by because I saw it in the field about 1 week ago, but I would think it would take one at a time, and not in the day. I guess not though.

My guess is the fox. Another poster lost a similar number recently and it turned out the fox was trying to bury them in her neighbors compost pile for later. It's likely a mama with young to feed!

Is electric fencing or netting an option for you? Again, I'm so, so sorry!

 

[Isaac 0]

I live in Western Montana on a farm and I have had problems with raccoons, coyotes, and fox before but never like this. I know that there is a fox near by because I saw it in the field about 1 week ago, but I would think it would take one at a time, and not in the day. I guess not though.

If you saw a fox its probably a fox.They will kill during the day and they will kill all at once.

 

[ValerieJ]

I live in Western Montana on a farm and I have had problems with raccoons, coyotes, and fox before but never like this. I know that there is a fox near by because I saw it in the field about 1 week ago, but I would think it would take one at a time, and not in the day. I guess not though.

I am so sorry for your loss and the horrible scene you came home to. I hope you will be able to create a nice area for them to be safely fenced in. And if you have raptors, then add obstacles and deprive them of a landing strip.

 

[Henriettamom919]

LOL Well, knowing the eagles have their own family to feed I'm not interested in hurting them, but I do want to protect my chickens. They will have to find their food elsewhere.

I don't know what happened to the OP on this thread. We still don't know if the chickens in question were free ranging or not, which alters what type of predator might be involved.

Oh I don't want to actually injure them either! I volunteered in a wild animal rescue and cared for two full grown male bald eagles who'd been shot and would never fly again

That being said I wouldn't mind scaring them away with the noise!

 

[ValerieJ]

Oh I don't want to actually injure them either! I volunteered in a wild animal rescue and cared for two full grown male bald eagles who'd been shot and would never fly again

That being said I wouldn't mind scaring them away with the noise!

Oh my....that is sad.

 

[RyleeandMax]

I

Do you have coyote? They'll hunt for food and then for fun in one fell swoop

I have had problems with coyotes and they are pretty common where I live, being that the majority of land around me is just open fields. I would think that a coyote would eat the whole chicken, not just the head. And also the other hen that my neighbor found on his porch wasn’t hardly touched. I don’t know what is going on

 

[Henriettamom919]

Oh my....that is sad.

Yes. They were intentionally hunted and shot about two weeks apart. It was my job to clean their recovery kennel and leave "pinkies" ( mice that come frozen or refrigerated in packs like hot dogs.) You don't know a true death stare until a three foot tall eagle is glaring at your every move while a one eyed owl sits on your shoulder happily chattering at everyone