Something killed my chickens

[Ptownchicken]

Can someone please help me? Last night something literally ripped the side off the chicken pen and took off the door to the nesting boxes. All four of my chickens were killed, but none were taken or mutilated. The coop is wood and the entire pen (including the coop) is fenced in. The entire thing is covered in chicken wire. The odd thing is that a railroad tie that I had laying across the bottom of the outside of the coop had been moved and the wood and screen of the run was torn off! What can it be? I live at the shore and behind my home is wet lands.

Fox? Bear? I am at the point where I am thinking about giving up on raising chickens. This really broke my heart.

 

[Muffinburgler]

Anything can tear through chicken wire. It's as strong as paper. Tearing a wooden door off and moving a railroad tie though sounds like something strong. A bear probably.

You said your birds aren't mutilated. You mean there's no sign of damage to them at all? I'd be suspicious of people then.

 

[Ptownchicken]

I have no one around me. I mean one one! They were not mutliated at all. Just stiff - two on the ground outside the pen and two inside the coop. Also, I live on cape cod and the last bear anyone say there was one, which crossed the bridge to get to land. I am really perplexed.

Should I even try to raise them again?

 

[Muffinburgler]

That's really weird. Whatever killed them was doing it for fun, not food. That makes me doubly think people, but you said no one is around.

I'd definitely attempt to raise chickens again. Replace the chicken wire with hard wire and maybe set up a motion light or game camera to see if you can spot what comes wandering by while you wait for the new chickens. Whatever did it might come back.

 

[Bullitt]

It may have been a dog that killed your chickens. Did you see any bite marks on the door covering the nesting boxes? Do you have any pictures?

I don't think a fox is strong enough to roll over a railroad tie and rip off a door covering the nesting boxes.

As mentioned, chicken wire does not keep out predators. Chicken wire only keeps chickens in.

 

[aggiemae]

Dogs usually kill chickens while chasing them down I doubt that a dog would attack stationary chickens. A dog would have to be pretty hungry to rip a coop apart like you described.

You are in Cape Cod? Are you sure it isn't a wandering bear? You should probably report it to the nearest Park Service or ranger station in case it was a bear.

 

[TheReadyBoys]

A long shot, but maybe a big animal like a moose or something? If you could snap a picture it would be really helpful.

 

[Bullitt]

Dogs usually kill chickens while chasing them down I doubt that a dog would attack stationary chickens. A dog would have to be pretty hungry to rip a coop apart like you described.

You are in Cape Cod? Are you sure it isn't a wandering bear? You should probably report it to the nearest Park Service or ranger station in case it was a bear.

Dogs break into coops and kill chickens all the time. Haven't you read about it here on this website?

Also, it wasn't a hungry animal because the animal didn't eat the chickens. Maybe it was a dog with rabies. Who knows.

A moose? Come on.

 

[carrieb62]

Dogs broke into my pen and busted the bottom out of the one coop by pushing up on it! They had no where to run!

I would think it was a large animal like a bear too because the railroad tie was moved. But what throws me off is why
there is no sign of mutilation!

I agree, take some pics it would be helpful.

 

[Provincetown]

Thanks to everyone. As soon as I get home I will post pictures.