My whole flock was killed last night, please help me

[mergmet]

kathy, what a horrible thing to happen

email me how I can help

Margaret

 

[Lunachick]

So sorry for your losses. I hope you let us know what did this.

 

[rjv_piper]

I went through the same thing here in utah last summer. A fox got mine, we think. there was a hole pretty big the fox got into. I lost all of my good show birds. The reason mine were killed and not the mutts was because the mutts roosted that night, but the pure breds were young, and all hudled on the floor in the corner, making it easier for the fox to get them. It was very sad, and I know how you feel.

I'm very sorry it happened to you. I cried all day that day. It was horrible.

 

[pepperluvsmee]

Sounds like a weasel to me. They are blood thirsty and will only take what they can store and then just kill the rest with a swift bite to the back of the head, killing instantly. They will eat the heads.
They took all 9 of my chicks, one large bird and killed everyone else. 23 birds in all. I hunted every night for a week and never saw anything. If it had been a fox or coon or something larger, it would have been back.
They are real boogers to trap too. Most weasels reside near water, so if you do not live near any water, you can rule that out.
Just do a google for weasels. What I found was very imformative in maintaining a safe envirolent for my birds.
Hope this helps.
Sorry again for your loss.
-Theresa

 

[thechickenchick]

How awful. I can just imagine how heartbroken you must be. I hope you can figure out what did this. Hang in there.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sure you're just devastated; I know I would be. I'd be happy to help you with hatching eggs to rebuild your flock, if you like. I have Barred Rocks and Barred Rock over Buff Orps, Blue Ameraucana, etc, if you're interested. I'm so sorry.

 

[Chirpy]

I am so sorry. I would be so upset and in tears if I lost even part of my flock like that.

I pray that will find out what got into your chickens so you can then stop them from coming back.

If it is raccoons you have your work cut out for you as they are so persistent and smart. A good dog or two that stay near your barn at night might be a solution.

 

[chickenranchwife]

I'm so sorry for you loss. I hope you catch whatever it was that got your chickens. I would be willing to also help. I have quite the barnyard mix. BR, BO, RIR, PR, SLW, BSL, Blk Ast., 2 EE's and a EE rooster, and a bantam cochin roo.

 

[crazychickens]

I had a great horned owl got a bunch of my young ones last summer. The owl bit there heads off and took the bodies. I know it was a reat horn owl because it got caught in between the two layers of chicken wire the last time. At each attack it left a couple golden colered feathers.

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
Usually foxes will just take one, or two. They usually tote them away and kill and eat them at their den, or off in the woods. They will come back night after night as long as they can get to the chickens.

This sounds like dogs to me. They are notorious for killing whole flocks, but usually they will kill just for the sport of it and leave the bodies laying around, maybe eating one, or two, enough to fill their bellies. Of course, it could have been more than one dog.

Its hard to believe this could have been an opposum, raccoon, or weasel to me as they could not eat more than one chicken at the time. They don't kill and store food, or kill for sport. They just kill to fill their bellies and their young.

I really think its most likely a dog problem.

I'm so sorry this happened.