What predator could have killed my chickens?

[MROO]

I’m planning to keep the remaining g 3 locked I. Their coop now for a few weeks. Do you think that will be sufficient?

If you really want to keep them safer, you're going to need a fenced in run. They can still free range, but only when you're physically there. Free ranging is not really an option unless and until you identify and eliminate the predators.

 

[MissChick@dee]

If you trap it kill it.
A predator that is comfortable enough to test your defenses or lack of will come back.
Why release a now “trap smart” predator? Especially if they’ve had a taste of chicken.
If someone released a animal like that around my house ~oh! Lookie a creek lots of trees TON’s of dumped CATS to eat. Let’s let em’ go here~
Sorry....I just had a moment.
Anyways WHY make your problems someone else’s???

 

[roosterhavoc]

Fox. They will kill as many as possible and come back for them like was already said.
Locking them up for 3 weeks and then letting them out won’t do anything. The fox will be back at some point. Might be a day, a week or 2 months. Trap him and kill him or shoot him.
Whatever you do don’t ever trap a fox and let it go. That fox might come back eventually and you’ll never catch him again.
I deal with foxes on a regular basis. They don’t always just take one bird and a younger fox will make more of a mess.

 

[jayewallace]

I am so, SO sorry you have to deal with this!
From what I've seen, foxes will sometimes kill as many birds as they can, take what they need and come back for the rest later. They are generally much quieter than dogs, while attacking. Even so, the widespread area and the chunks missing from some of the birds still point to dogs. It sounds like they stuck around long enough to make a game of it, while foxes are generally in-and-out.
Since this isn't the first attack, whatever came for lunch will likely be back for another meal. The best way to tell (other than sitting out there all day and night with a shotgun) is to set up a camera. If you have a baby monitor in the house, set it up in your hen house, tonight. If your thieves were foxes, they'll likely come back at night. As soon as you can, you may want to rig up some electric wire along the bottom edge of your fence.
Good Luck - and keep us posted.

It was really awful My husband tells me that I am describing the “missing chunks” incorrectly. He said it was more like torn skin where it was grabbed/bitten. There was a couple of small patches of feathers with skin attached. That was the guinea who had obviously put up more of a fight. One hen only had teeth punctures and no other damage. The other hen that had organs exposed looked like it had been half eaten and maybe that’s when my husbands truck pulled in and scared it off. We have been out looking for the 2 missing hens but have only found huge piles of their colored feathers Definitely not planning to let them out again until we figure this out. I only like them to free range for bug patrol...we have a lot of ticks.

 

[MROO]

In most states, it's illegal to trap and relocate/release. You can eliminate something that is killing your livestock, but you can't move it somewhere else.

 

[MissChick@dee]

In most states, it's illegal to trap and relocate/release. You can eliminate something that is killing your livestock, but you can't move it somewhere else.

I know~Right!!!

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

If it is indeed a fox, I would not trap and release. If you trap, then you need to kill it because it will definitely come back. So sorry for your loss. Please keep us updated.

 

[MROO]

It was really awful My husband tells me that I am describing the “missing chunks” incorrectly. He said it was more like torn skin where it was grabbed/bitten. There was a couple of small patches of feathers with skin attached. That was the guinea who had obviously put up more of a fight. One hen only had teeth punctures and no other damage. The other hen that had organs exposed looked like it had been half eaten and maybe that’s when my husbands truck pulled in and scared it off. We have been out looking for the 2 missing hens but have only found huge piles of their colored feathers Definitely not planning to let them out again until we figure this out. I only like them to free range for bug patrol...we have a lot of ticks.

That definitely sounds like dogs. Chickens make awfully nice chew toys, and when the current chewie stops squeaking there's always another one to chase.
As far as free-ranging goes, it sounds like a chicken tractor would work perfectly for you! Think, upside-down playpen. It's movable, so you can let your babies "range" over the yard to get bugs and other treasure, but still keep them safely in their coop at night.

 

[MissChick@dee]

True story today we dispatched skunk #9
Well my friend takes care of them for me (so wonderful).
And what does he want for payment???
Deviled Eggs! God is good when you’ve got friends like that

 

[WthrLady]

The last fox of this group is driving me bonkers. He's smart. REALLY smart. He knows how to avoid box traps. Large fox chute traps. Snares, and double snares. *&^%&

He comes at least once a night. We have our live security cams set up on motion and record that bounce to our cells.

No pattern to the hour of the night. I do not need him teaching the second generation of devils.

Guess I'll sit up one night.