My babies are being killed by something. Help???

[dixierose992]

Last Tuesday I went out side to check on my animals. I was walking towards my chicken pin and seen a bunch of feathers and my 2 white silky hens laying on the ground dead. I had 10 chickens all together. 3 silkys and 7 easter egg chickens. I lost all but 2 of my easter egg chickens. Then last night something killed one of my ducks. There is no blood on them. They just look I guess like they were killed for fun by a animal. Which makes no sence to me. Does anybody have any idea what it could be? Or how to stop it? Please help. I can't stand to lose anymore of my babies.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

dog.

 

[dixierose992]

That is what I am thinking. Any ideas what to do about it?

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

no really, tell us what type of pen you have. What type of wire, is it burried wire, how sturdy is the gate, what type of gate?

Is there a dug hole, is the roof of the pen covered and if so, with what?

I suggest dog becuase they like to chase, and then kill-usually from heart failure or internal injuries. They don't usually eat what they kill-that's why I think it is a dog.

Be prepared-unless you kill it, the predator will keep coming back to finish eating all your free chickens. At this point it's been back (2 sep. times) and it WILL returnagain and again until you have nothing left to offer it. I suggest you make your chickens "house" chickens until you can completely redo your pen.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

I had a dog attack earlier myself and lost 7 silkies.
I had to re-think my set-up and I redid all my fencing. I thought that the 19 gauge 1/2 inch square hardware cloth would work, but my gate failed the test.

 

[dixierose992]

My Chickens wonder free during the day but at night the are locked up tight. I have no idea how it got the door open to the chicken house. The ducks have a house and are surrounded by chicken wire. My husband is doubleing the wire up and doing the top of there pin with some kind of chicken wire the is covered with plastic. I am going to sit up and wait for the animal to come back and then take care of it. Is is against the law to kill a animal that is on your property and killing your animals?

 

[dixierose992]

I don't want to kill it. I was going to call the Games Warden and see what they could do first. I even thought of leaving my dog out side to scare it off. But she is real protective of the other animals and I don't know what she will do. She thinks that she is there mom. It is to cute.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Hi, Sad to say, but chicken wire doubled won't even work. Do a search using the above feature and search the keywords "fence" "chicken wire" "hardware cloth" etc. Or you can search blankety blank dog...
There are so many dog threads that you can get very useful info.

 

[panner123]

I don't know about Va. laws, but here in Ca. you can kill any animal treating humans or livestock. Here if you don't catch them in the act, you must get a permit from fish & game. Fish & game will also send a trapper out to insure the job is done right. My 2 helpers (Smith & Wesson) haven't failed me yet. Shoot true & straight, PLEASE don't wound whatever it is. Then you have a real problem.

 

[nuchickmama]

What about a hot wire 8 inches up from the ground. I am told from the old timers around here that that works. Haven't had to do it yet , but I do believe here , if your livestock is threatened you can shoot to kill.