My first loss

[redsoxs]

Well, it finally happened. Lost my first bird under mysterious circumstances a couple days ago. Not sure what got her. My 12 mixed flock layers I got as chicks last August. They free range every day but are locked up tight at night. I have lost two meat chickens to this unbearable heat but this is the first hen. Interestingly, I also have some little pullets, 12 Cornish X and 5 ducks running around that were born in May of this year and I still have all of them plus the meat chickens I mentioned. But my Black Australorp hen didn't show up one evening. I thought maybe she was being broody somewhere but my search turned up nothing. I guess I shouldn't complain too much - just one chicken in about a year isn't too bad. I read on here about entire flocks wiped out by predators. That would be rough! Happened in the daylight hours, no sign at all - just gone, and nothing missing since. So, any ideas?

 

[wvtim]

Take it from someone that has learned the hard way - if you had a chicken taken in the day time - what ever it was probably fox or hawk will be back for its next meal unless you pen your birds up.

 

[7L Farm]

Did you look everywhere? Because they can get in some places you would never think to look.

 

[centrarchid]

Loss with no signs during day typical of fox, coyote or hen going broody. Last is a tempory loss. Finding cause is critical otherwise without adjustments it will continue.

 

[redsoxs]

I agree about finding the cause and it is very confounding wondering what might have taken her. As I look at the calendar it has been a week now with no further loss - I would sure think some of my less savvy birds - the Cornish X, young pulllets and the ducks would have fallen victim by now if I had a repeat offender. I am pertty sure she is not broody somwhere as it has been hot and dry as a bone and she would have to come to water and I just haven't seen her. As far as looking everywhere...I have searched about a quarter mile perimeter. To me that rules out hawk or coon as I think I would have found some sign. A daytime coyote is what I am thinking. I take the dogs (no, they love the chickens) and do regular patrols three or four times a day in hopes of changing the mind of any marauders. Once school starts back up (I'm a teacher) I may need to pen the birds up during the day and let them run in the evenings while I'm home and hounds can keep watch. Thanks for all your advice.

 

[centrarchid]

I agree about finding the cause and it is very confounding wondering what might have taken her. As I look at the calendar it has been a week now with no further loss - I would sure think some of my less savvy birds - the Cornish X, young pulllets and the ducks would have fallen victim by now if I had a repeat offender. I am pertty sure she is not broody somwhere as it has been hot and dry as a bone and she would have to come to water and I just haven't seen her. As far as looking everywhere...I have searched about a quarter mile perimeter. To me that rules out hawk or coon as I think I would have found some sign. A daytime coyote is what I am thinking. I take the dogs (no, they love the chickens) and do regular patrols three or four times a day in hopes of changing the mind of any marauders. Once school starts back up (I'm a teacher) I may need to pen the birds up during the day and let them run in the evenings while I'm home and hounds can keep watch. Thanks for all your advice.

An occasional loss only with dogs means latter doing their job. I keep dogs out full time when birds free-range. For me, only coyotes seem able to occassionally get a chicken without leaving some feather sign. Foxes always leave some since they have to fight more with chicken to kill it.


If hen broody, her visits to water would be short. Some of my broody hens get very sneaky and come off nest during day when I am at work.