Lost our first chicken

[ChefAmanda55]

Today we came home to find a dead chicken. It looks like something bent up a little hole in the fence and grabbed a chicken. It pt ate whatever it could pull through the hole, a leg, the head, etc. It was pretty gross. The other11 chickens are pretty shook up, one is limping but I couldnt figure out why. Any ideas what got our chicken or how to prevent it from happening again? We put some harware cloth on the bottom of the door where it got in last time. Is there anything I can do for the limping chicken or just watch and wait? Thanks for any advice, we are really scared for them now.....

 

[1muttsfan]

Sounds typical for a raccoon. And it will very likely be back. If you dont have hardware cloth all the way around your run, now would be a good time to install it.

So sorry about your hen

 

[buttercup hill]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Raccoons will pull whatever part they can grab through a fence. There's a ton of info on here about predators, their 'calling sign', and remedies to keep your chickens safer. I know I've learned a lot. From what I've read, if it was a raccoon, they are relentless once they know where they can get a free meal so you'll have to be diligent until the culprit is identified and dealt with. A chicken's legs and head can't be pulled through hardware cloth so that might something to consider.

If the limping chicken doesn't have any broken skin or bones, a watch and wait approach is what I would do.

I lost a hen to a hawk today. I stepped out onto my porch and saw the hawk take off from behind my garden. My tomato plants are humongous and blocked the view so I walked around the garden fence, where I found what remained of the hen. It's a defeating feeling, but since I free range mine I know the risks and accept it. Although, I did give a certain rooster a stern talkin' to. Good luck to you.

 

[ChefAmanda55]

Thanks for the good advice. The chicken is still limping this morning, I cant see anything wrong but i cant get too close. She is the one chicken we have that seems to be scared of us and we cant pick her up to examine her closely.