I'm still confused on what did this!!!

[kvmommy]

I read what predators do what to do the chickens but just went out and found four of my 3 mo. old chicks huddled on my deck. I looked for my white silkie and couldn't find him. I went to the coop and there was blood and some feahters splashed on the outside. Then in my garden were a ton of feathers with some blood but no parts..no wings, no head, nothing. just feathers.

additionally, my boxer is great with them and protects them but its too cold for her to be outside. will the blood and feathers trigger a prey drive in her???

 

[perchie.girl]

I read what predators do what to do the chickens but just went out and found four of my 3 mo. old chicks huddled on my deck. I looked for my white silkie and couldn't find him. I went to the coop and there was blood and some feahters splashed on the outside. Then in my garden were a ton of feathers with some blood but no parts..no wings, no head, nothing. just feathers.

additionally, my boxer is great with them and protects them but its too cold for her to be outside. will the blood and feathers trigger a prey drive in her???

I dont know where you are located. But if it were here I would say either a coyote or a bobcat. If it were a dog they would all be dead and the bodies would still be there..... Sorry for your loss. Clean it up before letting the boxer out and when you do let her out follow her around and when she sniffs the spots where the blood was tell her no no. Just to let her know this isnt something you want her to do. Of course she will sniff later but it helps reinforce. Boxers are known to be high energy and wanting to play so keep an eye on her for a few days to make shure she remembers that the chickens are still off limits.

deb

 

[kvmommy]

I'm in Gales Ferry, CT. I'm butted up against a nature preserve with a fenced yard. Ive seen a fox and feral cats and hawks , but not this winter. Aren't coyotes and bobcats more nocturnal? This was around 1130 this morning. If I see a bobcat or coyote am I allowed to shoot them? WEll...I can't kill things, so am I allowed to shoot at them?

 

[Vamvakas]

Sounds like a fox to me they will hunt night and day, racoons are night animals and tend to rip peices of chickens. Im from CT also and I don't think theres many bobcats here.

 

[perchie.girl]

I'm in Gales Ferry, CT. I'm butted up against a nature preserve with a fenced yard. Ive seen a fox and feral cats and hawks , but not this winter. Aren't coyotes and bobcats more nocturnal? This was around 1130 this morning. If I see a bobcat or coyote am I allowed to shoot them? WEll...I can't kill things, so am I allowed to shoot at them?

I am in the desert near San Diego and Here Coyotes and bobcat hunt morning and evening. I don't know about fox we do have them but I have never seen one. I have actually had a coyote take a hen right in front of me within about thirty five feet away I was screaming and throwing rocks. He paused dropped the hen thought about it a moment and grabbed her up and went back through the corral fence. It was about eleven am. Youngsters even oldsters coming through the winter will brave human scent if they are hungry and go after chicken buffet.... sigh.

One fall we had some incredible fires here in San Diego I lost thirty chickens in thirty days to Bobcat, Mountain lion, and Coyote.... those were just passers through running ahead of the destruction. We also had deer come through and go through a couple of a bales of hay..... The Mountain lion follow the deer. Thank goodness I didn't my have goats then.

What ever it is good fencing around and over the run will be your best defense then only let them free range while you are there. Unless you get a livestock guardian dog but that takes a whole other set of training and housing.

edited to add: in my opinion removing a predator from the area just leaves a hole for another predator to come in. The best thing to do is make them give up. Either fence or guard dogs. Ooh and another good defense is Hot wire. a strand around the the top out where they would hit nose first. Fence bites and you hear a yip and they dont come back. .... to your yard....

deb

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

I read what predators do what to do the chickens but just went out and found four of my 3 mo. old chicks huddled on my deck. I looked for my white silkie and couldn't find him. I went to the coop and there was blood and some feahters splashed on the outside. Then in my garden were a ton of feathers with some blood but no parts..no wings, no head, nothing. just feathers.

additionally, my boxer is great with them and protects them but its too cold for her to be outside. will the blood and feathers trigger a prey drive in her???

THIS is a bobcat! My dad was home one time while we were at a 4H meeting and he heard chicken distress and thought they were egg laying, 15 minutes later he went outside and there was a big bobcat standing there with one of my favorite hens in its mouth. It ran under my uncles gate and ran across the road to the state beach. When we came back i saw feathers in a huge mound and it lead all the way to the gate. It striked again in November, killed another hen, Honk and left a pile of feathers, but this time I caught it red handed!!!! 2 feet away from it with my hens body next to it, i chased it and had to scream and yell and run across the whole yard chasing it across the fence. I had to put the other 2 hens away that were 5 feet away from the incident. The Bobcat didn't take Honks body (she was about 15 pounds) so i had to bag her up. No more free range eggs until the bobcat is dead. 2 months later I was on a walk to the beach with my mom and i saw a keel bone...

I don't know if it was the first ones or not..

 

[amberflea]

Sounds like a fox, but could be any number of predators. usually prey drive is aroused in a dog when something starts moving fast (chicken running away) I don't think smelling the blood is going to make prey drive kick in...