Need help, entire flock gone **warning- graphic photo**

[Bsmac]

Hello, So sorry... That is really heart breaking... It is always tough to lose a bird let alone most of your flock. At least Isla came back! Glad for that! I hope better luck from here on out for you!

 

[CabritaChicks]

Apologies for all the updates—but it’s true, chickens really do come back (for anyone wondering if they post later)! Earlier, Isla showed up at the front door demanding cuddles after being gone for 12+ hours after her sister was murdered.

Then just now, my husband burst into the house yelling, “Go get a white chicken! At the gate!” Sure enough, there was Roo—a white Leghorn mix (named when we thought she was a rooster)—trying to squeeze back through the gate (it is a very long semi-private dirt road, entirely fenced, so somehow the lazy fat one got out from being spooked).

This morning, I was running up and down the dirt road like a banshee yelling for my “chick chicks.” Maybe she heard me? I don’t know if I’ll find the others, but at least two are back. I just wish I knew where Iris was.

 

[CabritaChicks]

But it seems like a dog attack?
Broken leg, tears- but left eh carcass. No sign of vent tear (like a mongoose).

 

[WingItRanch]

It definitely looks more like dog than human in my opinion.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I agree it looks like a dog attack. How many are you still missing? I hope they’ll return soon

 

[Appalachickens]

I'm so sorry - that's awful. I am glad for the update that you've got two back (so far).

 

[CabritaChicks]

I agree it looks like a dog attack. How many are you still missing? I hope they’ll return soon

Missing 1 (other two are confirmed kills), add that to the other two killed in the last 2 weeks (different causes).

 

[kattabelly]

We have a few- it is a large heavily forested property. I went online a few days ago- and purchased 6 more units with flashing lights.

Yeah I figured from reading your other posts about where you live that it might just be a slight deterrent at best.

Really glad to read two of them have turned up again.

 

[McChooky]

I've had my fair share of struggles as a modest, early chicken keeper—one hen stolen, and my beloved rooster killed by a stray dog that jumped from a construction vehicle. Both were dear pets to me. May they rest in peace—my Rhode Island Red and my sweet Splash Marans mix rooster.

Yesterday around 6:30 PM, I noticed no chickens had returned to the coop (they free-range during the day). My husband went out searching and managed to find one. (Moderator, please help hide the photos if they’re too graphic.)

• It’s now 5:30 AM, and I’m about to go out and see what else I can find once the sun rises.
• There were no feathers scattered around. No sign of a struggle. Just a dead chicken in the aggressive neighbors property.
• Whatever it was didn’t even eat the bird—just tore through the skin and left it there. The incision looks clean and smooth in the photos.

View attachment 4188929

As of now, all four of my remaining chickens are gone—taken within a two-hour span.

That means I have 0 chickens. Maybe one or two might return by daylight, but right now it’s looking grim?
The thing is—we don’t have the usual suspects here. No foxes, no cougars, no raccoons. Nothing like that. I do suspect a human might be involved. Someone has been targeting me—did he release dogs? Did he do this?

I just need to know what kind of predator I’m dealing with, my first inclination is a canine with human assistance. This is just heartbreaking, heart wrenching, yes I feel like time doesnt go by fast enough for dawn- so I can search through acres of property to find anyone who is alive.

Sadly free ranging pullets outside an established flock means they'll have to learn everything on their own .I trained mine to stay close to the house by chasing them back home but predators still got 2 that were stragglers.Sorry for your loss!

 

[McChooky]

Missing 1 (other two are confirmed kills), add that to the other two killed in the last 2 weeks (different causes).

If you're experiencing kills from different causes you might want to keep your chickens in a run until you find out what's killing them
Dogs kill for sport but rarely eat them .Wild predators kill for survival.