My Flock got attacked last night

[ryan820]

I'm not even sure why i writing this... maybe because I keep telling myself they're just birds... or that there was truly nothing I could have done... but my heart is so heavy just now. I woke up and got ready for work this morning and as usual I went out to the greenhouse/garden/coop complex to make sure everyone was okay and I found three dead chickens... my heart sank. I did a count, and two more were missing.

I know that predators are a way of chicken life and of keeping chickens but it is always so painful. I love my flock and we spend so much time and love making sure they're happy. Now I have five dead birds, all of which my daughter adored, and I don't know what to do about it.

My run is fenced in, the door to the actual coop shuts every evening at sundown... they should have been okay but somehow they weren't. I honestly feel guilty because what have I failed to do to keep them safe? I have to remind myself that this very well could have been a perfect accident... I've had a flock for over ten years now and NEVER had something like this happen. Most of our "deaths" were natural or caused by hawks in broad daylight but never this many birds and all at once.

How am I going to tell my kiddo? She knows that life is fragile...and that it comes and goes and often death can be so cruel but these were all her birds. <expletive here!~!!!!>

I was even out at the coop late last evening... our one hen is a pain and she messes with the younger birds and often they get too scared to go in so I go out and pluck them up and put them in myself... and that is just what I did. But they must have left the coop again after I went in.

I'm just blue now. It's not rational but somehow I feel as though I failed them.

With that said... of the three chickens' bodies I found, two had their heads gone. The rooster was just dead... I'll have to inspect more to see what injuries actually cased it. I'm sorry I don't have more info but what might this predator be? I live in colorado so there is a good chance it was aerial (owl?). We have some foxes (I think) and I'm sure other predators but I honestly never see many at all. Our worst predator is the coyote but the coop and run really are robust to keep them at bay. I think at this point I need to completely enclose the entire run. I suspect the predator will return tonight.

Damn....

 

[21hens-incharge]

I suspect raccoon.
I am sorry you lost them. Be honest with the kiddo. Then have her choose new birds once the coop is resecured.

Make sure they are all in at night and make sure to close that door.

 

[ryan820]

I suspect raccoon.
I am sorry you lost them. Be honest with the kiddo. Then have her choose new birds once the coop is resecured.

Make sure they are all in at night and make sure to close that door.

Thank you.... and of course I will be honest with her. Again she's been through deaths before but so many at once....well, that's a different story.

My door closes automatically... I have never had it not close before but yes, I'll be checking nightly for a while. The hen that chased the others was one of the victims. I suspect I won't have the issue of the girls being stuck outside any longer.

Thanks again.

 

[User395221]

I'm so sorry, how upsetting.

 

[Howard E]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Seems it doesn't matter if the animals under our care are big or small......cows to kittens.......seeing something we have cared for taken from us is a hard thing to accept.

So if I understand correctly, birds were housed in a coop, with maybe an automatic door? And during the daylight hours, allowed outside in a partially enclosed run? So birds may have been locked out into a partially enclosed run? If that was not it, please post pictures to help us visualize your setup. But if birds were locked out into a partially enclosed run, and roosting / asleep in a pile on the ground, they would have been easy prey.

As for the predators, it sounds like coons to me. Probably more than one. Maybe momma and 2 or 3 half growns? A game camera would be a big help in finding out what. As for what to do about it, it depends on your setup, but a run that is as secure as the coop is a good place to start.

 

[K.Riggs]

So sorry to hear, i had a hen intentionally run over by hoons today on my nature strip while i was outside with my flock. She had just started laying lovely blue eggs a few weeks ago and was a nice hen. I was very upset. My rooster witnessed it a was distraught. I know what you mean by feeling you failed and having a heavy heart. I felt crap all day and am still thinking about it at midnight. I lost her sister a few months back to a hawk and it took two weeks for them to be back to normal Whatever way you look at it, it just sucks. Again, very sorry for your losses.

 

[Sara Ranch]

*hugs*

I don't know how old your kiddo is, but please consider having her be a part of some memorial. A sign, a picture, or something so she can say goodbye to the chickens (without seeing the body.)

When my son was little and we lost a family member, I had him write a goodbye letter. I think he spoke and I wrote. Then we said we were sending it to heaven for grandma to read. For him, that was that. We moved on.

I do a head count every night in each "house". I usually do a head count in the morning for most - not all - flocks.

 

[ryan820]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Seems it doesn't matter if the animals under our care are big or small......cows to kittens.......seeing something we have cared for taken from us is a hard thing to accept.

So if I understand correctly, birds were housed in a coop, with maybe an automatic door? And during the daylight hours, allowed outside in a partially enclosed run? So birds may have been locked out into a partially enclosed run? If that was not it, please post pictures to help us visualize your setup. But if birds were locked out into a partially enclosed run, and roosting / asleep in a pile on the ground, they would have been easy prey.

As for the predators, it sounds like coons to me. Probably more than one. Maybe momma and 2 or 3 half growns? A game camera would be a big help in finding out what. As for what to do about it, it depends on your setup, but a run that is as secure as the coop is a good place to start.

I don't happen to have pics but I think I can clarify... the run is enclosed but open from above. The door IS automatic and uses a light sensor to open and close. The chickens were all inside the coop when I paid them a visit last evening but the door hadn't closed yet. Did the door malfunction? Dunno. Did the bickering continue after I went in to the house and those involved left the coop and got "locked out"-- that is quite likely.

The one hen was such a jerk to these younger hens and a door closing would mean nothing to her. I have had the door get stuck before (bad wind sent a branch from a tree to block the door) and the flock was still fine the next day-- but all it takes is one time, right?

I will enclose their run entirely soon... it's been on my list of things to do around the property as we do have hawk issues during the day from time-to-time. Enclosing them entirely is the only safe way to do. Would it have saved them this time? Not sure... if it is a coon they are tricky suckers. I personally have never witnessed a coon around my house... I've lived there for 8 years now. I'm sure they exist in the general area I just never have witnessed one on my property. But again, all it takes is one time.

 

[ryan820]

*hugs*

I don't know how old your kiddo is, but please consider having her be a part of some memorial. A sign, a picture, or something so she can say goodbye to the chickens (without seeing the body.)

When my son was little and we lost a family member, I had him write a goodbye letter. I think he spoke and I wrote. Then we said we were sending it to heaven for grandma to read. For him, that was that. We moved on.

I do a head count every night in each "house". I usually do a head count in the morning for most - not all - flocks.

She's been through this before... and she will be fine and I will definitely have her be a part of saying goodbye to them. Poor kid... she knows that the chicken's life can be brutal at times. Thankfully something like this has never happened. We most often have a loss now and then from hawks and usually only when things are bad here like during drought etc (when nature is running everyone thin). I haven't had a chance to talk with her yet but I'll make sure we talk this out.

 

[Elyrian1]

Don't beat yourself up over it, dear. What if's are better left to lie. My vote goes to the raccoon or owl as well, considering the manner of death, the fact that you're looking at a flying or climbing predator. We have tons of raccoons in Colorado Springs, almost hit one on the way to work this morning, so it wouldn't surprise me.

You already have plans under way that should keep out these predators, that's the best thing. I know for a fact they suck at opening padlocks...

What's really important is what you stated already in your first post. You took excellent care of these chickens, they lived good lives, they were loved, and they were as happy as a chicken can be. Focus on that if you can, and I hope it brings you comfort.