Predator took all 5 hens last night! I feel horrible!

[Bigbluefrog]

sorry to hear about your loss!
We see foxes on our trail cameras. They are active at night and even til 8:30 am.
We also have hawks, eagles and owls.
I have not see any coyotes in awhile but I am sure they are out there along with raccoons.
I never realized how much is involved til I started raising them.
I am looking into an electric door opener.
maybe that is an option for you!
and I forgot once to lock them in and ran out at midnight so your not the only one.
Hope you feel better

 

[marigold73]

Hi Everyone, thank you to everyone at this forum as you have all been so helpful! Every night I have a routine which includes checking on my 5 hens and closing their hutch door. I have done this for 5 years. Last night I am assuming I forgot as I noted the main door open this AM. All of my chickens are gone. There are no bodies, bones, etc. - just piles of feathers. I live in town with 2 sides of 8 foot fence and 2 sides of 4 foot fence. Hawks have been my daytime issues in the past as I lost one of my birds two years ago to a hawk in the daylight. I feel horribly guilty. Does anyone know what predator, in a southeastern PA town would just leave feathers overnight, be able to kill 5 birds, and leave nothing more? There are no gaps in the fence bottom and I have 3 dogs who use my yard to run and play....thank you for any information. I truly appreciate it!

I am so sorry. I just lost my 6 month old silver laced wyandotte today. Head and neck gone. My husband says a cat. I think it is a fox that I saw Feb 1st after finding my 2 year old golden comet hen laying under a tree without a head or neck. This was at about 5:30 pm, about 45 minutes before sunset. I was about to look over the fence to the east, when I saw a grey fox sitting up against the north fence watching me. I called it a sob, as I turned towards it, and it was over the fence before I could say "Jack Robinson". It didn't exactly jump the fence, it was like it hopped up, and magically climbed it. The fence is 6 foot. I thought my chickens were safe during the day, but I was wrong. Every time I loose a chicken, I feel guilt, wondering if there was something I could have done different. I feel for you.

 

[RoseyBK]

So sorry for your loss. Our property opens up onto open space and this is a constant concern for me. We let them free-range during the day and lock them up at night. We have a hen house which opens up to a run. I open the run door at morning and close at night, but I put an automatic door on the hen house just in case. I still go out every night to lock the door to the run, but just in case I forget, the automatic door should keep them safe. Just an idea. Take care.

 

[MaiBee]

Hi Everyone, thank you to everyone at this forum as you have all been so helpful! Every night I have a routine which includes checking on my 5 hens and closing their hutch door. I have done this for 5 years. Last night I am assuming I forgot as I noted the main door open this AM. All of my chickens are gone. There are no bodies, bones, etc. - just piles of feathers. I live in town with 2 sides of 8 foot fence and 2 sides of 4 foot fence. Hawks have been my daytime issues in the past as I lost one of my birds two years ago to a hawk in the daylight. I feel horribly guilty. Does anyone know what predator, in a southeastern PA town would just leave feathers overnight, be able to kill 5 birds, and leave nothing more? There are no gaps in the fence bottom and I have 3 dogs who use my yard to run and play....thank you for any information. I truly appreciate it!

Don't have any great advice. I lost most of my flock to my own two dogs about 6 weeks ago, so I just want to say I understand the guilt and don't beat yourself up. Chickens are just so vulnerable. And they do grow on you. Don't even want to talk about what I've dropped on vet bills for my two survivors.

 

[Yorkshiregal]

I’m so sorry for your loss it’s awful. My daughter was watching my chickens and forgot to lock up and all 4 of my silkies were killed. Whatever killed them left the bodies. I had rabbits taken by a fox and it jumped a pretty high fence while carrying them off. He took them one by one. We saw him do it. I’m off to check my coop now before I go to bed. it’s on a new timer so I’m going to check it worked.

 

[rotnlab]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m in southeastern PA as well and I’ve seen foxes and coyotes hop 6 foot fences like they were nothing. I know you feel horrible but don’t beat yourself up. If you need chicken love, my flock is happy to give it and we can’t be too far from each other!

 

[Wendijean68]

Hi Everyone, thank you to everyone at this forum as you have all been so helpful! Every night I have a routine which includes checking on my 5 hens and closing their hutch door. I have done this for 5 years. Last night I am assuming I forgot as I noted the main door open this AM. All of my chickens are gone. There are no bodies, bones, etc. - just piles of feathers. I live in town with 2 sides of 8 foot fence and 2 sides of 4 foot fence. Hawks have been my daytime issues in the past as I lost one of my birds two years ago to a hawk in the daylight. I feel horribly guilty. Does anyone know what predator, in a southeastern PA town would just leave feathers overnight, be able to kill 5 birds, and leave nothing more? There are no gaps in the fence bottom and I have 3 dogs who use my yard to run and play....thank you for any information. I truly appreciate it!

I just had 5 of 7 my sweet girls killed by what I think was a coyote- heads gone, bodies left. I now keep the surviving 2 in our coop which makes them so unhappy. I just can’t bare to loose any more. I saw a coyote across the street from my house walking around at 11:30 in the morning. My question is..... do you all think the coyote is waiting for me to let them out?

 

[kubotafoot]

Condolences. It's happened to the best of us. I'm going to guess it was fox and yes, they climb and carry the birds over fencing. I have seen it happen. It's over. All are at peace. You can only do your best, and sometimes it is not good enough......lesson learned. Be sad but cut yourself some slack.

 

[Loosly]

I left the door open, totally my fault....so whatever entered just walked in. I am so so sick. I have had a routine for the past 5 years, check them and lock the door. I am going round and round about this in my head....how I could have let it happen...

So sorry for you and the chickens. Anyone can make a mistake. You can rescue some new chickens and that will make you feel better.

 

[Prescottchick]

Hi Everyone, thank you to everyone at this forum as you have all been so helpful! Every night I have a routine which includes checking on my 5 hens and closing their hutch door. I have done this for 5 years. Last night I am assuming I forgot as I noted the main door open this AM. All of my chickens are gone. There are no bodies, bones, etc. - just piles of feathers. I live in town with 2 sides of 8 foot fence and 2 sides of 4 foot fence. Hawks have been my daytime issues in the past as I lost one of my birds two years ago to a hawk in the daylight. I feel horribly guilty. Does anyone know what predator, in a southeastern PA town would just leave feathers overnight, be able to kill 5 birds, and leave nothing more? There are no gaps in the fence bottom and I have 3 dogs who use my yard to run and play....thank you for any information. I truly appreciate it!

Sounds like a coyote.