Lost Whole Flock

[sean30ber]

Im stumped. We live in Arizona and free range our chickens in an irrigated pasture. Have a large chicken coop in the barn that all the chickens are in before it gets dark. Two days ago we lost a chicken. I just found feathers. I noticed a Harris hawk on the property a few weeks ago but didn't figure he was an issue as my two roosters are very protective of the hens and a Harris is not that big.

Well this morning I looked out and saw three of my chickens shredded in the pasture. Two hens and my most vicious rooster. I searched around and the other three are gone without a trace. No feathers, no nothing. One giant rooster and two big hens. I have a 6 foot no climb fence that is perfect and buried in the ground. I walked the whole perimeter and the fence is fine with no breaks of areas a coyote could get in.

Im stumped. I just lost all seven of my chickens with no signs, no tracks. They have been back there for two years with not one chicken lost until this week. and three are gone into thin air.. None of my neighbors chickens are touched and they are run the same
as mine.

Ideas???

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Im stumped. We live in Arizona and free range our chickens in an irrigated pasture. Have a large chicken coop in the barn that all the chickens are in before it gets dark. Two days ago we lost a chicken. I just found feathers. I noticed a Harris hawk on the property a few weeks ago but didn't figure he was an issue as my two roosters are very protective of the hens and a Harris is not that big.

Well this morning I looked out and saw three of my chickens shredded in the pasture. Two hens and my most vicious rooster. I searched around and the other three are gone without a trace. No feathers, no nothing. One giant rooster and two big hens. I have a 6 foot no climb fence that is perfect and buried in the ground. I walked the whole perimeter and the fence is fine with no breaks of areas a coyote could get in.

Im stumped. I just lost all seven of my chickens with no signs, no tracks. They have been back there for two years with not one chicken lost until this week. and three are gone into thin air.. None of my neighbors chickens are touched and they are run the same
as mine.

Ideas???

Welcome to BYC - sorry it is under these circumstances. Unfortunately, the perimeter fence you describe is actually little defense against most predators that would be suspect for such an attack - especially on a free-ranging flock. As to the neighbor's chickens, chances are that while their flocks were not impacted by this attack, the attacker(s) will be back in the next nights/weeks looking for a follow up buffet, so it would be best to be sure they are put on notice.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Was it daytime?
A fox can jump a 6' fence.
The missing birds could have flown out to evade the predator.
I had a rooster go on the lam recently after a predator attack. Most of the birds don't want to come back to the location of the devastation. Not safe.

 

[abserbean]

Have you seen coyotes in your area? Some large ones can jump a six foot fence, even without being able to get purchase on it. It does sound like a predator, I don't know about a hawk since there are three missing, that would be a bit much for a hawk to carry off.

The only other idea I have is if a hawk landed and tried to kill and eat there instead of flying off, and the other three birds freaked out and flew over. My chickens never fly over our six foot fence, but when my sister's dog was over and charged at them, two were up and over before you could blink. I would look around outside your fence and see if you can find the birds hiding somewhere. Good luck!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Also, since you mention the neighboring flocks - you may want to verify with them that your missing birds are not hanging out with their birds - at a time of stress like this, if they have fled out of fear they will be drawn to other flocks as a way of seeking safety in numbers.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... My chickens never fly over our six foot fence, but when my sister's dog was over and charged at them, two were up and over before you could blink. I would look around outside your fence and see if you can find the birds hiding somewhere. ...

X2
It depends on breed. Some can easily fly over a 6' fence. Others have difficulty but if pressed they can do amazing things.
My birds will stay inside a 2' fence but if pressed they can fly 10' straight up.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

So sorry to hear about your loss. It might be helpful if we had a better description of the remains of the killed birds, that might at least determine if it was a hawk or not. People here in AZ do occasionally lose chickens to Harris hawks, but I don't think I've ever heard of them killing multiple birds in a single event. Even though they're small, they hunt in groups and can take things similar sized hawks might not attempt. It's more likely that bobcats or coyotes got them, neither are deterred by a 6' fence (unless the run is covered). Are your birds locked up at night? Were they killed during the daytime or at night? Coyotes can take birds without a single feather left behind, but as others have noted they could have escaped over the fence and are out there somewhere. I've had coyotes get in our yard over our 6' wall while our birds were free ranging and kill some while other chickens escaped by flying over the wall.

 

[sean30ber]

I found one Rhody under the horse trailer and my daughter is out looking for the other two that are missing. I figure if it were coyotes they would have eaten or carried away. The chickens that died were just lying with feathers around them. I did find several small puncture marks, but could not tell if it was hawk talon or canine tooth.

 

[Papas Chickens]

Welcome to BYC and sorry for your loss. What part of AZ do you live, out here in Yuma county we have coyotes that i have seen jump over my seven foot fence with two feet of barbed wire on top but my dogs run them off, we also have Harris and Redtail Hawks out here but it is usually the Redtail that gives us a problem.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I found one Rhody under the horse trailer and my daughter is out looking for the other two that are missing. I figure if it were coyotes they would have eaten or carried away. The chickens that died were just lying with feathers around them. I did find several small puncture marks, but could not tell if it was hawk talon or canine tooth.

So, it doesn't sound like they were eaten at all? If that's so, I would suspect a dog.