Lost 2 chickens last night...bit graphic

[Finslady]

Hi, I'm new to the site and hope I'm posting in the right place. I went out to my girls this morning to find only 3 instead of my usual 5. After looking around I found the 2 (my favorite girls of course..I miss them) had been definitely eaten IN the yard. A few parts were there (A few bones and a foot.) but no sign of entry. The yard is 5 ft. high with a 15 in. outlay of fence covered with rock at the bottom. I found foot prints that looked much like a dog. Little sign of much tussle and not a lot of feathers really. After scouring the outer surrounding woods we found a few feathers and almost no footprints. I can see tracks into the yard but not out. That of deer but they live here almost. I'm thinking coyote. Any info is greatly appreciated. The top is going on the yard as we speak. That little thief must have cleared the fence without a problem. Not a hair anywhere on it. I had fallen asleep before locking the door to the innner coop. ugh.....Thanks!

 

[Finslady]

hubby seems to think it may have been a hawk or an owl

 

[lurky]

Sorry for your loss........ Hawks dont leave much behind but a pile of feathers.
So if there was not much left over, that might be correct.

 

[AHappychick]

could have been a lot of things but climbing makes me think possum or coon. although I am surprised all were not killed.

Set a trap and see what you get cause what ever it is will be back.

 

[wohneli]

Are your girls locked up at night?

 

[Finslady]

I didn't realize what ever it was would be back. Thanks so much good to know. My girls stayed up very late last night. Interesting that you ask. They just seemd antsy. I went out to close them up and they hadn't gone in yet and were giving me a hard time about going in so I went back in the house and like an idiot fell asleep without closing it just that ONE night. Boy, that's all it takes. Hubby is putting a top over the run right now and my son has is a trapper. Isn't it funny how attached you can get to a chicken. I was afraid I'd get laughed at. .....not here ...you folks are great!

 

[AHappychick]

oh dont worry ask any questions you want. we all love our chickens here all 35,000 of us

And we have all lost to predators too. It is hard they have all night to case the coops out and wait till that one time when they have an opportunity. They are probably checking everynight and the one time your forgot they hit.

There are many posts but if it is a coon or possum best to kill it as humanly as possible cause relocating isnt good for either beast or man.

Its always the favorites that get killed for some reason so sorry.

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

that stinks about your hens. have you ever seen foxes or coyotes around your house? i beleive thats what happened. buzzards probably did away with the feathers. feep them locked up with a top on the coop. ive seen foxes and dogs jumps 5 foot fences.

 

[Finslady]

Yes we have every preditor I can think of around. Our old Lady dog passed away a few years ago and we started seeing the poulation of new things rise. We are putting a top on the run today. You're right about that 5 foot thing. Seems to just put a little extra bounce in the step of the preditors. We thought we might be ok without the top but boy were we wrong. One day I was cooking and looked out my kitchen window to see a fox cub looking in at me. Mom came and ran him off quickly. I do love them all but they need to be nice.