My moms dog killed half of my flock (24 chickens)

[AGRowles]

I asked my mom to watch my birds this weekend because I had a wedding, and she brought her 11 y/o golden doodle. He likes to chase the birds here and there but never killed anyone. Well I get a call this morning saying there's all these dead chickens scattered about as if they had just dropped dead. We found 17 bodies but I'm missing 24; 2 or 3 had some blood in their beaks and I'm guessing the missing birds are still somewhere in the tall grass unless I'm falsely accusing the dog and something else got them. Tell me what you all think; my theory is that he pounced on them or gave them all heart attacks because they were all intact and 2 of them died hours later inside of the coop (internal injuries?). I'm not sure why I can't find the other 7 or so missing birds though. They are all free roaming birds but I've never had an issue before this except for a bobcat one weekend when the coop door frosted open.

 

[barred2rock]

He may have chased and chased and chased until they had heart attacks...which could seriously be a possibility.

LofMc

If that's what occurred, someone needs to train mom better.

 

[Sublight]

I know this sounds morbid, but you may try plucking them and looking at the bite marks.
Again, another morbid statement. Boil a big pot of water, and briefly dunk the dead body into the boiling water for 5 or so seconds. This will allow the feathers to come off super easy. Then you can examine the teeth marks, and any wounds.
Sorry for your loss buddy. Its strange how attached we get to a bunch of silly ole chickens. I lost 2 in the last couple weeks to a large coon(probably a mutant).
I hope this helps.

 

[GGBEAR]

With the chickens taken here by foxes the first hit was 9 chickens taken from inside the barn during the night; just feathers, no blood, no bodies. A wing showed up a year later under a tree. I saw the pups playing with what looked like a carcass a few days later. The next morning the black hen's carcass was beside the house. Dog killed one fox pup, which was close to the carcass...I trapped the other.

Next hit, next year: 9 chickens taken brought daylight about 7:30 at night within a 3/4 hour timespan. Again no blood, no bodies...just feathers. Caught the foxes watching us from across the road...waiting to take more. Fox pups and subordinate female dispatched...end of issues.

I should note that we had guineas and a dog in the yard when they hit in broad daylight. They are super stealthy.

exactly my point they don't just run round chasing them they either kill them there or just grab and go they don't say hey let's play chase then wen the poor things keel over say oh ok I'm off now cya they are like us when we see puled pork we start to slavar and turn greedy lol they are the same chicken slaver food eat everything

 

[AGRowles]

The fox was dispatched this morning. Male, red fox, 15 pounds. He came around at 5:00 am on the dot and made his attack from the tall grass in the creek. I caught him with the 12ga from maybe 70 feet mid-attack into a cluster of young birds. Somehow I managed not to hit a single bird! Let's hope he's the only one. I will be getting a livestock guardian dog in another year or two but until then this is how I have to do things.

 

[AGRowles]

Now that I've killed the adult male. Do I need to worry about the female/s and kits coming around for more free lunches? Wondering if I need to sit out for a few more mornings to make sure. Total kill count was 30 birds in 2 attacks and would have been more had we not scared it off during its second attack.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm interested in what others will have to say on this.

Usually, when a dog kills, there are teeth marks and feathers everywhere. You won't just have dead birds with no signs...unless the dog isn't hunting but playing. He may have chased and chased and chased until they had heart attacks...which could seriously be a possibility.

And I could believe that from a silly labradoodle (which is a lab mix...I've raised lots of Labs in my day...and they do love a silly chase).

But I agree that doesn't account for the 7 birds unless they ran away and are still hiding or died in the bushes somewhere.

There are other possibilities...a coon or bobcat or something.

So sorry for your loss. That is heart breaking.
LofMc

 

[GGBEAR]

something has certainly given them a fright it could well have been dog if he been chasing them for a long time as it.does not.sound like a attack

 

[animalspooker]

If the dog was outside with the birds when it happened, then it was the dog. Any other predator would have been deterred by the doodle. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but my money is on your mom's dog!

 

[AGRowles]

It was a fox! We caught the sucker this morning at 5am nabbing a chicken and my girlfriend chased it off. There was another one dead nearby with no blood on it at all, just like before. That's the reason I thought it wasn't a fox, I thought a fox would bloody them more.

I'm going to throw the chicken back outside at 4am and sit in my window with the rifle until 7. Every morning if I have to. The fox looked small; is it normal for them to kill without drawing blood or ripping feathers out?