SOMEONE is killing my hens

[The Lazy L]

am040608,

I'm trying to sort out the details and I'm a bit confused. Please keep in mind that I'm a male.

Text below in red are quotes from your posts


Also our "neighbors" are a good distance away. There is a good bit of land between us.

Even my neighbors sheep are often found grazing in my yard or inspecting my front door


I don't understand how you don't have close neighbors BUT their live stock ends up on your property.


hen was just roosting on her egg

side by side roosting on eggs.


Hens roost on the end of a board, rod or tree limb. I don't understand why they would lay a egg up there and how they would get the egg to balance without falling off and breaking.


We have a baby monitor. Ill do that.

Since this post I've had 3 more chickens with broken necks.


What did you hear on the baby monitor when the 3 more chickens were killed?

 

[ShellyBear]

If someone could do this to a chicken I wouldn't leave my children at home with out an adult. I know it might be overdoing it but get some security cameras and try to catch who ever is doing this horrid thing. I know no animal that does that sort of killing so I believe this is being done by a person or I wouldn't even call them human.

 

[BBQJOE]

This is screwed up.

 

[am040608]

I am already an overprotective mama and I don't leave my children home alone without me. But now I'm definitely worried. I have been keeping my gun in the kitchen now in case I do see someone outside. I will not hesitate to protect my children.

 

[Paganrose]

I agree- get a camera ASAP! also document the two chickens incidences that already happened!

 

[am040608]

I would ring and speak to the police so there is something on record of somebody harassing you if you ever need them there in a hurry.

I second the get a camera set up. I would be very nervous too.

I plan to do so this afternoon. Perhaps the sherrif knows of other incidents as well.

I just cant imagine why a person would do something like this.

 

[animalgrl]

Horrible! I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I agree, set up a camera, if you can. Also, file a police report. Perhaps there are animal cruelty laws in your state that would apply if a perpetrator is caught. Also, while it sounds gristly, if you really do think it is a person doing this, you might want to take photographs should any other chickens (hopefully none, now that your run is padlocked) meet a similar fate before you are able to figure out who, or what, is behind this. Hopefully all your chickens are safe. There was actually an article about this recently in Backyard Poultry Magazine. You might want to check their website to see if you can find it (I think it was called something like "When the predator is human"). It may have some advice you can use.

 

[am040608]

I agree- get a camera ASAP! also document the two chickens incidences that already happened!

I did take photos

 

[am040608]

I live way out in the country. Everyone here has chickens, cows, horses, sheep and the list goes on. We do have one rooster however he is young and does not even crow yet. All of our other neighbors however have very large very loud roosters who crow as early as two and three o'clock in the morning. Also our "neighbors" are a good distance away. There is a good bit of land between us. So I don't believe that noise would be a motivator. As far as shooting someone, the reason I mentioned it at all is due to thee fact that whomever mutilated the first hen clearly used some sort of blade. My objective would be not to fire however but to deter the armed individual from my home.
My chickens yard / run is attached to the side of my house. So whomever is doing this is literally feet away from my family.

 

[am040608]

I don't know your set up, but I might try sweeping the ground at the entrance after you are done in the run. Just to see if some foot prints show up when/if it happens again just to verify if it is indeed a human.

I can certainly give that a try, at least its more evidence if it works. Its awful wet out here in winter and I keep straw down to help with the mud so it may not work.