Dottypotty
Chirping
So last Friday at 5am I let all 6 of my brown layers out there house, and were in a secure pen. I woke up at 6.45am to pure devestaion. All 5 but 1 chicken were dead in the run, but what shocked us as a family more is they were lined up in a row, but the chicken who was alive was in the corner shaking.
Firstly we believed this was a fox, but my gut feeling was telling me it couldn't have been. The whole pen wire was cut from top to bottom and the wood which was solid In the ground was ripped up.
The top of the enclosure far right was snapped in half, I mean thick wood. I'm struggling to figure this one out.
While inspecting the birds there wasn't a mark on them.. No blood, no marks, no feathers what so ever... I took pictures as evidence also but I believe there necks could've been rung or am I wrong?? We don't have cats or dogs either.
We as a family have had chickens here for 5 -6 years, sadly our rooster passed away due to old age 4 weeks before this .And suddenly this has happened.
It's so hard because we have no answers, no feathers, no blood, no marks. Just lined up in a row, and a chicken run completely vandalised at the rear and nothing more.
What should I do with the one I have alive now? I've kept her in a shed under lock and key, but something inside me is telling me this wasn't a predator but could this have been a killing by hunters, people).???
We're in the countryside 2 miles from neighbours, so I'm stumped, at the time of this happening I let them out, fed them, changed water. Went back out to check on them and it was as if I was in a bad dream.
It's the not knowing bit which is hurting our family. Not a noise what so ever, not even a trail. Any answers would be appreciated. Completely stumped abousltely devasted. All our babies gone
bar one did I disturb whoever it was?? Because the only one that's alive is petrified.
What on Earth went on, this is killing us as a family just not knowing. If it was a fox etc fine we'd accept that but this is just the oddest thing ever. And its really bothering us all.
All the years we've had chickens they had a rountine of always wanting to come out at 5am.
I feel I've let them and my whole family down,, it's the worst experience I've ever had to deal with.
Firstly we believed this was a fox, but my gut feeling was telling me it couldn't have been. The whole pen wire was cut from top to bottom and the wood which was solid In the ground was ripped up.
The top of the enclosure far right was snapped in half, I mean thick wood. I'm struggling to figure this one out.
While inspecting the birds there wasn't a mark on them.. No blood, no marks, no feathers what so ever... I took pictures as evidence also but I believe there necks could've been rung or am I wrong?? We don't have cats or dogs either.
We as a family have had chickens here for 5 -6 years, sadly our rooster passed away due to old age 4 weeks before this .And suddenly this has happened.
It's so hard because we have no answers, no feathers, no blood, no marks. Just lined up in a row, and a chicken run completely vandalised at the rear and nothing more.
What should I do with the one I have alive now? I've kept her in a shed under lock and key, but something inside me is telling me this wasn't a predator but could this have been a killing by hunters, people).???
We're in the countryside 2 miles from neighbours, so I'm stumped, at the time of this happening I let them out, fed them, changed water. Went back out to check on them and it was as if I was in a bad dream.
It's the not knowing bit which is hurting our family. Not a noise what so ever, not even a trail. Any answers would be appreciated. Completely stumped abousltely devasted. All our babies gone
bar one did I disturb whoever it was?? Because the only one that's alive is petrified.What on Earth went on, this is killing us as a family just not knowing. If it was a fox etc fine we'd accept that but this is just the oddest thing ever. And its really bothering us all.
All the years we've had chickens they had a rountine of always wanting to come out at 5am.
I feel I've let them and my whole family down,, it's the worst experience I've ever had to deal with.
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the 5th one was a few yards away on its own, but in the same state as the rest. Also a predator has not come back to get them either, something just isnt right what so ever. There are cctv cameras at the front and back door and it only picks me up going out to feed them and let them out as normal routine for the last 5-6 years.
