Predator help.

[jeepgirl13]

I'm a little flabbergasted by the 4×4 beam snapped in half.... how could a small critter like a coon, or even a decent sized dog, do that? Were there high winds or a downed tree that could have broken that?

Everytime I've seen a dog attack on chickens, done for fun, the birds are scattered wherever the dog managed to catch them, not in a line...

Is the wet feathers possibly from morning dew? You said this happened early, between 5 to 7 am. Weve got crazy dew in the morning at that time here.

Is the one picture of the ground a track? I think I see one, but it's hard to tell. If it is, can you put something for size reference next to it?

 

[PirateGirl]

The girl that is left I would keep somewhere calm and quiet with food and water close and just leave her be for awhile. Hopefully within 24 hours she comes around and is acting more herself.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Didn’t the OP say this happened a week ago?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Doesn't look human to me. They won;t waste time scratching up wood. Fox or coyote if not domestic dog. A weasel wouldn't have bothered making big holes in the fence.

My dogs kill all kinds of stuff without leaving a mark or blood behind and do so silently, by shaking as described by pirate girl. While mine don't line up their toys... some dogs are quirky that way. They chase and kill for fun not because they're hungry. My cats (and dogs) are well fed and thus have plenty of energy to hunt.

Dew does not look the same as that wetness to me... but it's possible AND I love that peeps here look for the deeper truth instead of taking things at face value or jumping to conclusions! All animals look like that after my dogs get them, especially chewed wet anal areas. If it is another predator they won't come back when they know you're watching. And sometimes not the same day. Expect it when you least expect it.

Contact your local county agriculture department and they can likely inform you of your predator load and type.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Dottypotty]

I appreciate all the feedback guys, it really is hitting our family hard at the moment. All your kind responses make us feel at ease a little. It'll nnever take away the loss, we all truly thought it was a bad dream, I can't explain it. I thought it was a sick joke. Just didn't want to accept it was real.

Anyhow I'll take everyones advice, for now we'll concentrate on the poor hen that's still with us.

However we will construct a new pen, and put up CCTV. But in my own opinion I feel the hen that's left should be rehomed, I have never seen a bird so mortified in my life. If you leave her side for a second she's very uncomfortable.

I will take in account of all the helpful posts on the forum to deture this never happens again.

 

[slordaz]

So sorry for your loses
My hens that were traumatized from an attack mostly over came in a few days,but had a couple of the lost ones best friends that didn't and they actually did much better in a new environment.

I would use electrified fence and install a trail cam, they have the cam on amazon for fairly cheap. as I don't know where you are I don't know what kind of animal could do that in your area, here it would be, wolf,mountain lion or bear, and of course human jerks

 

[noregerts]

I’m sorry this happened to your birds and your family. I think it was definitely a canine, probably at coyote or feral dog. That way they’re lined up is pretty bizarre but I just don’t think a human would have done that much destruction to your enclosure I think a human would’ve just come in and killed the chickens and left. I lost my first eight chickens in a very similar incident except for the lining up of the bodies of course. Something tore back the chicken wire and killed all the chickens and we only found one of the bodies. Poor little Chickens don’t hurt anybody but so many things want to hurt them!

 

[NHMountainMan]

I’m struggling to think of any animal that would leave them in a perfect line. They almost looked posed- necks not at an angle, no punctures. What could snap a 4x4?
Was the wood rotted?
OP- location? Do you have bear- that’s the. Animal I can think of that could snap a 4x4. Still- the line of dead chickens ... I’d have to guess human.

 

[townchicks]

I am so sorry, that would be horrible to find. I too, am leaning towards large dog, although the lining up of bodies has me scratching my head. I would contact the police, and file a report, just in case. If it was either a dog, or a human, there may be others around you that have been effected as well. Also, if it is a dog, and it comes back, you have documented the problem, and can dispatch if needed without repercussion.

 

[Eggs_With_Legs]

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.

First off, I'm so sorry this happened to you!
I would say that it was a kill happy dog that did this. When I lived at my old home my neighbour's dog would come and *silently, mess free kill multiple chickens in my flock. They can end up in a row because it will kill them quickly as they get to each one(most of the time the chickens aren't aware of what's going on until it's too late) dogs are definitely capable of nawing and ripping there way through wet or older wood and ripping off wire fences.
Again, so sorry for the traumatic experience you and your family have to go through.
EWL