Mystery Day Predator Attacks 4 Today

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UPDATE - I believe I caught the culprit. But to be fair, I am going to let the girls out to roam today and see what happens.

So fair the 2 injured girls are still kicking (I really cant believe it as the one attacked last week only survived a day (she was cut open below the vent and had intestine coming out). BUT, I still haven't examined them yet as they hide in the back corner of the cage whenever I walk in the room.
 
Whatever it is, it doesn't sound like it's trying to kill your birds for a meal. More, it's sport or practice hunting for a young predator. That said, I'd still put the trap out but I don't think it will work. Leaving a poison laced dead bird out likely wouldn't work either. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a neighborhood dog that got under your fence somewhere.
 
No --checked the fence everywhere. It is chain link and its about 6-8" inches in the ground. Never the less I walked the entire fence line right after the attacks when we were searching for the hens. Whatever it is has to climb up the chain-link and climb through the barb wire. Not saying it cant be done but unlikely for a dog. Cats, Possums, and Raccoons are another story. My 2 cats climb it daily to hunt in my neighbors backyard (they stay on the other 1/2 acre - they don't care for my chickens). Apparently their backyard has better lizards than ours!

We don't really have an issue with stray dogs. I don't think the neighbors would put up with it as nearly everyone walks their dogs daily and they would most likely call the city if a stray was bothering them on their walks. Plus we have a crazy neighborhood lady that has like 10 dogs in a townhouse. She adopts any and all strays saying she will re-home them but never does.
 
luvmyflock said:
Sorry about your lose- I had one of my roosters taken yesterday in broad daylight when I was hanging clothes- it was definetly a fox- came over 6 ft. fence and before I could get 10 ft. jumped back over and vanished- tried to follow but no luck- I am going to move coops closer and put higher fence- What else can I do? they are all locked in at night but we live in area where everything is- just saw a bobcat walk right threw yard with squirrel in his mouth!! And my yard is 2 acres fenced- rest of farm 19 acres is with wire but guess they live here too- have to get electric wire and put on 6 ft. fencing- maybe that will help- any suggestions? thanks From Luvmyflock
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Any suggestions?....where do I begin. First I must admit to not being one in favor of free-ranging chickens for the very tragedy that happened to you yesterday, for which I am so very sorry. I have read countless threads here on the forum of predators killing their flocks. Those who advocate free-ranging have to accept the simple fact that a predator will eventually locate their flock and will kill them, and will return again and again til all is lost. My question is...why free-range? Because it's "the thing to do..it's natural"? ... I think not. Many many years ago yes, it was not only done but practical in a sense because chickens could forage for their feed and made it easy on lean pocket books of the day. But today? Today the overall population of humans have overtaken the natural habitat of predators; i.e., raccoon, weasel, bobcat, possum, bear, snake, squirrel, ferel dogs and cats, rats, cougar, coyote, etc., and we pay the price for taking over their areas.

Personally, I have put my blood, sweat, tears, not to mention money, into my little flock, and I would never allow them to free-range. My chicken run is very large and my girls have more than ample room to maneuver throughout the day. So I guess the bottom line is this...if one chooses to free-range their flock, so be it. For me? Not a chance.
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I have a chicken carcass from a rotisserie chicken (store bought - I cant eat my own hens) that I am going to put out tonight.

I have 2 traps - One is cat/small dog/possum size and the other is fox, medium dog sized. Amazingly, I haven't caught one possum and I haven't set traps in about 4 months!

I will continue to set traps for the next few weeks trying various bait. I usually just catch possum.

I have NEVER caught a coon and I have tried desperately. We ended up shooting the last coon (like 5 years ago) after it ran up a tree. I did the whole marshmallows and cake bait, aluminum foil, covered the cage in branches to camouflage it. Never worked for me. Since we are fairly far away from a bayou or water source, they don't come around very often.
 
I wouldn't free range in the country or suburbs, but I am in the city. My father had chickens in the same coop since the 60's. We have only had a few instances of predators. I allow them to free range because I have no way of netting their area (too many large trees and buildings). They are mostly shaded by 40 year old Oak trees. They are provided shelter to hide under in the few open areas. I use large plastic dog crates (cut in half and then a u-shaped hole on the side opposite the door) . This way they have a tunnel like shelter. I find they don't like to go into a one hole shelter but if it 2 holes they go in it all the time. When it rains we cover the food that way and they all escape under them so they don't get wet. Whenever someone throws out their used dog crates for heavy trash we pick them up. They are usually chewed or missing a door but we don't want the door and the chickens don't mind the chew marks:)
 
Did a wound check and they look amazingly good. The Wound Seal makes them appear very dark but they are dry and sealed. Nothing oozy or smelly.

Fingers Crossed they will make it.
 
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bleu chick said:
I am keeping an open mind to what it could be.  However, a fox seems impractical.  Even though my property is an acre.  Most tracks in my neighborhood are 1/8 to 1/2" acre.  My father purchased 2 tracks that were neighboring in the 60's.  We are very much city surrounded by city (no wooded undeveloped land around us for at least 30 miles).  Our neighborhood is old, from the 50's so it was developed along time ago. 
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We have a pair of foxes that annually rear kits in such a situation behind our shipping and receiving building in the middle of campus in the middle of the state capital. Bobcats and coyotes also known to be present so do not rule out red fox.
 
I am attaching photos of the healing attack areas as a reference for anyone in the future. I always here how resilient chickens are but I have never had any survive an attack (not to mention, my attacks have been years ago). I do warn those that these are graphic for those they may not want to look. I just want someone to see how bad one attack was and how great the hen is doing so they others have a reference point.

I am unable to attach pictures. When I select the upload nothing happens in Explorer or Chrome. Any suggestions?
 

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