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

[Cot Cot]

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!

Oh I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. We have all experienced heartache but to have all 5 of your beloved hens gone must be difficult. I too live in the city (near a river) and have had a share of 1 pullet and 2 canaries plucked out of their cage from Cooper's hawks. I saw the Cooper's hawk take my sweet little pullet that I hatched right in front of me. The guilt we have is horrible and to this day I still feel responsible but please know we all have a good heart and things happen. I know a lot of people on here say get a camera. It is the BEST thing you can have to watch your beloved pets/ladies. I have one and it is so comforting to know that I can jump on my phone and check them out to make sure all is OK. Lastly I would like to say I hope that you over time will consider getting more chickens. They bring such joy to our lives. They are very comical funny creatures and maybe over time you will miss that and want some more. I hope so.

 

[akddr]

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!

Great horned owl is a possibility.

 

[The_Harvester]

I haven’t read all the comments, but no matter how well a fence is built, if it’s not a covered area, a raccoon can do such devastation to your flock. A spring loaded door in the pen works just in case your door is left unlocked. At least it’s closed. I have my chickens coop inside of a fully enclosed pen with a spring loaded door just in case there’s a slip up, because there’s a few family members looking after them so one of us is bound to slip. Sorry for your loss. A lot of us have been there. It’s not easy for sure.

 

[Sharon36]

I have not read this entire email chain, so this may be mentioned. My husband put an automatic door on a timer on our coop. The door is simply a slab that slides up and down between two side rails. The timer is attached at the top with a braided nylon line. The door goes up in the morning and down at night. I do usually look to make sure as the line has broken several times over the years. This has been wonderful in Inclement weather and when we are home after dark. The birds are in and safe for the night. The unit was under $30, has lasted six years, and gives us peace of mind.

 

[Terri Flaxman]

Thank you all for the advice and input. No tracks and no bones or bodies, the ground was frozen last night, just clumps of feathers around the yard. My neighbors nor I heard nothing. Would a fox climb a fence and be able to take the dead chickens over? Do you guys presume that whatever killed each chicken, pulled each one out and ate them there or killed them and took them away? I am just wondering if they suffered as we heard no yelling and there are nothing but feathers left....and how a predator got all 5 at once....I am still in shock....

Yes they can go over fences. Have had foxes even chew thru the wire. Buried the chickens they left in the chook pen as they were the last 2 we had an dx foxy came back a week later and dug them up. Had taken all others with them so sad

 

[Jeschel]

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!

it

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!

So sorry for your loss. This happened to us a couple of times and lost a few and a couple I’ve had to stich up and they’ve survived.
Now I have a calendar reminder on my phone every night and also Alexa reminds me as well. So far so good!

 

[keringordon]

OMG I am so sorry for your loss. I know if something happened like that to me I would not rest until I knew what did it and how to prevent it. I have dogs and 6 cats and 3 ferals in my hard along with a horse and donkey and yet to get a predator. I do have coyotes across the street and hawks alot as well. The dogs chase the hawks but one day Im afraid something may happen.

 

[Lynn Woehrle]

So sorry about your chickens. They become a part of the family. Hawks, owls, coyotes, fox, bobcat, cougars, skunks, raccoons and dogs. Hopefully it isn't your dogs. Sometimes chasing chickens is a game that goes bad. Don't mean to upset you more but it's something that can happen.

 

[bdfive]

I've not read thru all the comments but can say here in south central Texas raccoons are the worst of the worst. They are patient and crafty opening numerous locks you'd not think possible. They dig under and climb over and often work at lengths to break through. I'd been fortunate having an 8 to 12 foot high huge courtyard aviary nothing got in for 3 years then 3 raccoons working together climbed the sides and tore in through the heavy knotted nylon aviary netting I'd had shipped from Oregon. A yearling White peacock was attacked with wounds in 2 places. He laid lifeless in shock but he survived and is with me now. 2 months of special care. 3 Ornamental Red Golden pheasants were eaten with only feathers left. I did find 1 foot a few days later. I was devastated, cried a river. Haven't been able to figure out how to cover the huge pen with wire so only use it during the day. I trapped the 3 raccoons the following night and didpatched them. Pictures below. I AM SO SORRY YOU LOST YOUR CHICKENS AND KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR YOU.

 

[Ryeyard]

Probably most likely to be a fox. A neighbour lost all 12 chickens last year to a fox. It climbed into his fenced hen run, killed all the birds and carried each one back over the fence. It took one back to it's den as it could only carry one at a time and left the remaining 11 in a pile to be picked up later.