I'm assuming foxes, but I'm confused.

[Mistyray_lynn]

We had a coop door malfunction two nights ago and awoke to dead chickens all over our backyard. We live in the suburbs. We had 6 layers (one year old) and 5 pullets (16 weeks old). I'm assuming foxes as we've seen foxes around and they are not shy.

I actually tried looking for this in previous forums but couldn't find an answer. The weird part to me is that only heads were missing. All but two small bodies have been accounted for and three heads were returned 24 hours later. Some of those pullet bodies were 200+ yards away.

Can anyone tell me why this is?

 

[centrarchid]

My first suspect would be red fox. It / they decapitated birds quickly to put them down then they began taking bodies off one at a time but you interupted policing of bodies. Fox working me early last year I saw and it killed juveniles by numerous body and neck bites. It killed multiple birds before switching over to taking bodies away in multiple trips. Another fox going after another neighbors much larger birds had to stuggle more with birds and actually chewed heads of in process of immobolizing victims. I do not know if difference was due to individual fox or size of bird.

 

[centrarchid]

Sometimes owls will do the decapitation thing but they generally take only one bird at a time. If a raccoon decapitates it also tends to consume victim very close to kill sight which tends to be messy. TMI?

 

[Mistyray_lynn]

No. Perfect. I was suspecting a red fox. Possibly more than one? I was just surprised that we found 3 small bodies in neighbors yards today (36 hours later). And that heads and a wing were brought back.

 

[centrarchid]

Bringing parts back does not make sense unless they decided to change cache site because somebody else found it. Fox working neighbors flock was burying all bodies in one general area until my dog found site which I think made fox confused about where to try to hide its eats next. Foxes ,may be smart but may also have a hard time thinking on-fly when they hit mother load.

 

[Mistyray_lynn]

Well, they've been casing the joint for 3 years. This is the first time they got any though. I was stupid and simply forgot to latch the door. I basically laid out breakfast for them. I was just trying to understand the return. My next door neighbor/mil had a head in her yard but not until today. Just thought it was strange. Thanks for your help.

 

[centrarchid]

Buggers are persistant. I have dog that runs fox of pretty regularly. Fox has not even gotten a mouth full of feathers since early last winter yet it still probes. It is getting to point now where when fox shows up, chickens cackle without even running and dog knows who is about and charges over without actually seeing or smelling it. It is like a cartoon.

 

[Mistyray_lynn]

fabulous. Every flock of chickens needs a good dog.

 

[centrarchid]

fabulous. Every flock of chickens needs a good dog.

Sometimes you need two. My roosting and pen facilities are getting too spread out. A second will be acquired and trained up starting this summer. Also need to get same dogs ready to sheep and goats. That is going to be tougher proposition than chickens, espcially with all the extra fencing that will impede dogs more than fox.

 

[Mistyray_lynn]

oh I bet. I just have a tiny little space. and one little dog who thinks she's in charge of that space. But she is not so helpful at night when she's curled up in her little bed.