So Frustrating

[drdoolittle]

Hi all! I have not been on BYC in quite some time! I've just been very busy with dog and cat rescue and daily living.
Anyway, I came home from work last night---a little after 5---and when I went to do chores, found several of my hens had been killed/taken by a predator. I'm sure many of you have experienced this loss and understand how sick I am feeling.
My coop is very secure---never any losses there. But I let my chickens out every morning around 5 to free-range. I have never lost any doing this (except many years ago when we lived in town and a neighbor's pet dingo killed all but 2). I believe a hawk or a fox killed them. The bodies of 2 barred rock and a polish cross were left behind, but there were several places in the woods of feathers where I believe other chickens were taken---1 or 2 light brahma, 2 red star or maybe Orpington. I was in shock, so really didn't take stock of my hens----I have over 30.
I have one little banty cochin cross hen who survived but is severely injured on her back. The wound is a large, deep gash right in the middle of her back. I've added a photo of the wound and have her in a crate in our enclosed front porch, treating her with amoxicillan and topical antibiotic. (The wound in the photo looks wet because of medication.)
Now I am not wanting to let my chickens out at all! Or at least until the leaves come out on the trees! Is there any type of deterrent for a hawk? I'm kind of thinking that's who did it, because we have one around and hubby saw him just recently sitting on top of a kennel that I store straw in that is in my animal enclosure.
I am shocked that one hawk would do so much damage in one day! Or do you think it was more likely a fox? All the chickens killed were in the woods outside of my animal enclosure---like they were out there hunting around and got swooped on or grabbed.

 

[keesmom]

I would think a fox is a more likely culprit.

 

[Howard E]

I doubt it was a hawk or a fox. Either one would kill all your birds, but generally only nab them one at a time. So with them, a steady drip, drip, drip. There are only a handful of predators who will kill a lot of birds at one time.....in this case, "a lot" being upwards of 7 birds out of 30? Dogs, weasels, in some settings coons.....will kill that many, but generally leave them where they were killed. Having that many birds turn up missing is pretty rare.

Likely culprits are pack of coyotes.....meaning more than one.......; someone put up a video a few months back of a bobcat that got into the coop and killed 5 or 6 birds......bobcats generally would partially bury their kills to save them for later. A pack of wild dogs might also do that, assuming they are on their own and hunting for food to survive. Or possibly a pack of coons operating in the daylight hours, but that too is rare.

Whatever the case, most likely you won't have long to wait to find out, as they will almost certainly be back for more.

Lastly, and do not take this as a personal knock as this is not directed at you.......but having monitored the predator forum for some time now, I do not understand why so many folks persist in "free ranging" their birds. A very large proportion of those with predators problems start out their descriptions with "free ranging.....never had a problem.......until now".

It is so prevalent here I have come to believe that those who free range their birds should do so under the assumption they are already dead. You are intentionally putting them at risk of dying. I understand the freedom in free range and all that, but they are at great risk all the time. As in every moment of every day. Not if.....only when. So if you chose to free range your birds, do so knowing they are probably going to die.

Not unlike dropping off your teenager at an unchaperoned all night bikini beach party at an STD clinic. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[RWise]

I free range and have few issues in the day time, cept for the dog and cats. The dogs bust into the caged birds, and ignore the free range birds completely! Cats are after the chicks and can break into caged birds as well, they seem to have a harder time getting back out.

 

[Clubber1234]

I lost 40 hen's to a fox.

 

[Abriana]

I would make a run and keep them in there. Or at least an electric fence. I know they are happy freeranging but a run or fence could lesson your losses in the future. I have had chickens for almost three years now and have only had two predator deaths. One was a small chick who was taken by a hawk. And the other was a hen got out of the fence and got eaten. The electric fence completely saved me!

 

[Howard E]

I lost 40 hen's to a fox.

All at once? If not, how many was it able to kill in one day?

 

[Trish1974]

I would have to say that does sound like a fox. I've seen fox attacks on my neighbor's chickens and they tend to grab and carry them right in front of the tail like your picture shows. She probably managed to get away. I shot at a fox who was carrying off a chicken and luckily he dropped her. This is what she looked like and luckily made a full recovery:

 

[Trish1974]

All at once? If not, how many was it able to kill in one day?

My neighbor lost 20 pullets and 2 adult hens in an 8 hour span to a fox. It dug under his coop which he did not have an anti-dig apron on and carried them off one by one. Three days later I saw one of his adult hens roaming around who apparently got away. She was barebacked like the above picture. Instead of trying to save her he euthanized her.

 

[Nuffy]

My neighbor lost 20 pullets and 2 adult hens in an 8 hour span to a fox. It dug under his coop which he did not have an anti-dig apron on and carried them off one by one. Three days later I saw one of his adult hens roaming around who apparently got away. She was barebacked like the above picture. Instead of trying to save her he euthanized her.