Mystery death

[shushanhen]

Hi,
I know it is hard to guess what happened but any insight would be appreciated.
We came home to some feathers in the drive way only to find one of our hens dead close by. It seems to have no sign of injury. I would assume it was illness except for the feathers. All the rest of the hens had gone in to the coop ( it was dusk) but they did seem a little spooked. Any ideas?

 

[24279102]

My guess would be a dog. We lost one of ours a little while ago.Just feathers and the body in the field a little ways off. If it had been anything else she would've been eaten.

 

[blucoondawg]

Possibly a weasel?

 

[jdywntr]

I'd say dog too. If there were no visibile injuries, it could have shaken her and broken the neck. Sorry for the loss. I'd keep your girls cooped or fenced and keep an eye out for a return.

 

[mkeawsh]

Mine go in the tractors and house at dusk and I close them up. I have Niteguards on all four sides and one on the roof of one of the tractors for any predators in the trees.

 

[blucoondawg]

I am not familiar with these Nitegard lights how do they work? I have seen a light that is intended to look like 2 yellow shining eyeballs for sale on one of the hatchery websites but I figured the animals would get used to them eventually and ignore them.

 

[animallover505]

Nightguard is motion activated I think, if it senses motion it flashes

 

[mkeawsh]

I am not familiar with these Nitegard lights how do they work? I have seen a light that is intended to look like 2 yellow shining eyeballs for sale on one of the hatchery websites but I figured the animals would get used to them eventually and ignore them.

Niteguards are solar powered lights that flash a red light starting at dusk and stop a little after day break. They stay on a little longer than dawn. The predator sees the flashing red light and thinks it is the red eyes of another predator so they stay away. I have been using them for 6 years and have not lost a chicken since. I decided to spend the money back then because I kept on finding my chickens with their head ripped off numerous times in one week and no matter what I did, I was loosing at least one a week. So, I invested in these lights and they are great and they last for years.

 

[GuineaMama]

Mkeawsh, do you move your night guards around or leave them in the same place? I have these on both my chicken pen and turkey pen, as well as in the garden and it hasn't kept anything out that seriously wanted to get in.

 

[mkeawsh]

I leave them where they are at. You have to put them at eye level for what you are trying to keep away. Raccoons are close to the ground - so I have it at their level etc. I have one on the lid of one of my tractors facing up, in case there are predators in the trees. On one end, the land goes up hill, so I place that niteguard farther up on the tractor so when they look down it would be level with their vision. If I am late coming home and it is way after dark, I just close up the doors then and nothing has disturbed them.