How can I protect my girls?

[diamondzoo]

Three months ago, I raised 7 chickens from days old with great care. Three weeks ago, I came out to their outdoor enclosed coop/run to find that they were all gone. I was heartbroken and confused. What was left was a small (6 or 7 inch) hole dug under the run and feathers everywhere. What animal could get into such a small hole and get into the 6" entrance to the coop? Why would an animal that small take 7 chickens? I have since secured the underside of my entire chicken area with wiring. I have also put cinder blocks around most of the outside border area.
A couple of weeks ago I purchased three 10 week old chicks. I worry about them every night. Last night I heard an animal making a high pitch screem repeating several times maybe 30 feet away from their coop. What was it? I was thinking it was a fox. I brought my girls inside for the night. It would be helpful to me if I knew what animal I am dealing with and what more I can do. Unfortunately, my chickens live too far from my house for me and my dogs to supervise them at night. I live in a mostly suburban area that borders on a large state park.
Thank you!

 

[sourland]

Common 'screaming' predators are fishers (primarily New England, but also NY and Pa), bobcats, and yes very likely a fox. Hardware cloth fencing with a buried apron around the pen plus the cinder blocks should help secure the area. A very helpful deterrent is electric fencing. Good luck protecting your chicks.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Now we know why settlers frequently kept the layer hens in the house.!

 

[rachlore]

I would have guessed that it might have been a snake, if possible. Probably a big one if so.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Don't know what part of the county your in, but a scream could have been another animal being attacked, like a rabbit. Holes can be dug by any animal with claws..weasel/mink coons, even small dogs and feral cats.

 

[diamondzoo]

I am in Maryland. I have been doing some research on the web and I am thinking it was a weasel or a fox that did the original attack and a fox who was hanging out the other night. The fox was likely calling to it's mate/family. It was a repeating loud shriek, controlled. I have a huge mastiff. He would likely scare off that fox but he is inside at night. I think that the best option is to have one of my kids give up their bedroom for the chickens. (Kidding)
FYI - After hearing the shrieks, my mastiff and I went down to the chicken coop to check out the scene. My smaller mutt had lived a few years homeless before coming to our home. She would not leave the house that night.

 

[20736]

We live in Maryland, too, and this time of year raccoons are weaning their young. They take the chickens back to the den and teach the young where to find prey and what to do with it. They take the whole chicken out.
May thru June was always a bad time for us until we built a coop that was raccoon proof. Reading these stories does have me checking the coop at night, though.
A raccoon proof coop is the only defense unfortunately.