Three girls gone in less than 10 minutes from when let out this a.m.

[Mac Momma]

I let out my 16 chickens this a.m. to free range (two separate flocks, one rooster and 7 hens per flock and they don't really interact with each other and coop separately) I heard a commotion,looked out the window and saw one of the roosters freaking out and went to make head counts and missing four. Then about 15 minutes later 1 came out of hiding. It has been about an hour since and no more have reappeared. Lost one about two month ago to a fox that we have had no success in trapping. Could a fox take three at a time? I am doubting it! We live in a rural area, have not seen any dog packs and by the time I went outside could hear nothing traipsing through the woods either. It was about 6:45-7 a.m. that this happened. I always let them out to free range and the only time the fox visited was at dusk. Again, I just can't imagine a fox taking three. The chickens taken are buff pullets almost laying age, so they are pretty decent sized. Any ideas?

ETA: clarify a statement

 

[mxpres]

foxes hunt mostly early morning and late evening,could be a family of foxes found an easy meal,

 

[Beau coop]

Fingers crossed that your girls are just too shaken up to come out yet.

 

[edb]

North Ga.? ....Coyotes!! most likely

 

[Lollipop]

Inclined to agree with mxpres. By this time of year young foxes are getting old enough to take a chicken. Dogs would kill all they could and still be in the act as you went out. Good luck......Pop

OK, edb sez coyotes. Good chance of that also.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

After the attack at my place, the flock hid in the woods for days only to come out at dusk to go to bed. I hope they just hiding. You will know tonight.

 

[Mac Momma]

Thanks! Coyotes hunt in the a.m.? I thought they were strictly nocturnal. URG! I am hoping that they come out of hiding. My husband says that it is nature taking its course, but I guess they are in their run. I need to extend it as they have been pecking feathers and were all about bald. They are growing in nicely now that they have been free ranging.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Coyotes hunt in the a.m.?

They hunt whenever they are hungry​

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
How did I know initial post would include the words "free range?"

Doubt nothing about predators. Accept what is and that they are there waiting with tooth and claw. Time to do some homework - quick!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It screams fox. We used to do the same thing, lock the chooks up at night and then free range them during the day. All went well until one Sunday morning when a pair of red fox decided to make off with 4 out of 6 full grown hens before we shot the male taking the fourth. They would have cleaned out the whole flock which was only 6 strong at the time.

Remember that unless the female is in the den with kits, fox run in pairs. I remember reading somewhere that a fox rarely goes outside a mile of his den. A mile isn't that long for a wilely wild critter, so even if there was only one, he could have made off with three in a matter of minutes. But more than likely, you had the whole family visit as the mother is teaching and supervising her young learning the ropes.

Take them all out. She's taught her young that your coop is easy eating. She'll teach the next litter and this litter will teach their own young and so on and so forth.

Luckily when we were hit, the female was in the den with kits and it was just the male making grocery runs. So we did him in and never saw one after that for months and months. It's funny, because they sure know what a gun is! When hubby shot the male, he walked out and the fox stopped and looked at him. Hubby went back in the house and came out with the .22, the fox again stopped from his meal and watched hubby, it wasn't until hubby brought the rifle up to his shoulder, did the fox go to make a getaway. By then it was too late for four hens and a certain red fox.

-Kim