The Case of the Disappearing Hens

[Mrs Moon]

Thanks for all the insight! Haven't heard of any foxes around here though I suppose there could be. Coyotes are a common problem here though they don't usually come this close to town. People just a little further out have a devil of a time with them. I'll look into the game camera ... sounds intriguing.

 

[arherp]

I have never heard my foxes either.. but I see them every other day, LOL

 

[gretchenhau]

sounds like coyotes, don't let lining intown fool you. 2 years ago, while I was living in town, in a subdivision, they were looking into my bedroom door window, talk about scarey.

 

[Sootsie]

Could you set up a camera to video the coop at night it would help determine if its a 2 or 4 legged predator if you add a couple of security lights operated by a sensor? just an idea

 

[can you hear me now?]

Quote:
Not trying to be a know it all because I don't know it all but they may not come that close to town when you can see them. They actually live almost everywhere in the country. New York city has coyotes. They stay active when it benefits them. J have seen red foxes running downtown here in the grass by our civic center. They may be there and you just didn't know it.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

4 legged predator depending on the size of your flocks and your locations the migratory hawks are nothing like your local hawks they will swoop and steal, Coyotes will claim there prize and softly trot off into the night Bobcats will as well Carry prey off with no trace of the kill. Foxes Will carry off if they can resist the crave to kill everything. What ever you have I will bet my bottom dollar that its feeding a few small mouths thus why it carrys more then one away. I vote buy a game cam and set some store bought chicken out and see what the cat drags in so to speak.

 

[centrarchid]

You need to do counts morning and evening to determine when losses occuring. Determining cause of loss will then become less of a guessing game.