Killed 17 chickens

[chickenlover120]

Somethin killed 17 of my chickens and left all 17 of the bodies and head and it look like it snapped all of the necks and the roost bar was on the ground and the mulch is all messed up. Does anyone know what it is?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Possibly stray dogs,or a skunk,but i don't thinka skunk is gonna kill all 17.I am no expert.

 

[chickenlover120]

It could not of been a dog it come through the door me and my dad put up but if you push against the door the gap you get is about 1/2 inch

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Or even possibly a owl.Owl's will sneak threw those doors,and rooster and snap all the chickens necks.

 

[rudy6482]

Has to be a dog, wild animals don't kill for fun, they will eat some part of the bird. If your pen isn't covered, I would say a dog hopped the fence. I know your pain.

 

[Folly's place]

Weasel, dog, fox, raccoon, owl? Who knows? So sorry for your loss, and beef up the coop to prevent repeats. Setting live traps may catch your predator if it's a furry critter. Good luck. Mary

 

[enola]

Has to be a dog, wild animals don't kill for fun, they will eat some part of the bird. If your pen isn't covered, I would say a dog hopped the fence. I know your pain.

Coyote, fox, weasel, mink, and raccoon all slaughter many birds if not disturbed during the attack. They will then carry the chickens off one at a time, unless disturbed. Then if the carcasses are left they will come back for them later.

 

[MeepBeep]

Has to be a dog, wild animals don't kill for fun, they will eat some part of the bird. If your pen isn't covered, I would say a dog hopped the fence. I know your pain.

This is not true, some wild animals will kill for fun and surplus if given the opportunity, this is especially true when a wild predator encounters 'confined' and 'helpless' domestic animals that are easy pickings and thus the appropriately named "henhouse syndrome"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surplus_killing

It could have been a weasel or mink that have been known to kill entire flocks of chickens just to for the fun of it, and the 1/2" door opening would allow a weasel in... If small portions of the neck were eaten it could be an owl that have been known to prime pick only head/neck meat... If it is true that nothing at all was taken they might have been scared away before they started to eat or remove the animals to a new location for consumption...

It could also be a domestic, feral dog or even a fox just having fun...

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Olws will not eat em,they just chomp the neck right off

 

[chickenlover120]

Yeah but there is no damage done to the pen it is all chian link fence and it has chain link for the roof to the coop is made of plywood and tin and well sealed and the only thing where it got through would be the door of the coop so it was something small. And on top of that there was a egg in the pen and it was not cracked.