What predator could have killed my chickens?

[WthrLady]

and agree. Locking them up for a few weeks will not stop the fox problem. It works for birds of prey, but not the local hunters.

 

[MissChick@dee]

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.

I sure hope you get him!
Betcha he’s been trapped before and someone released him. (Just had to say it)

 

[WthrLady]

not in this area he hasn't. LOL. No one in this area takes and releases. We're all farmers and take no quarter with raiders of any kind. I think he's had lots of close calls though.

 

[duckduckgose]

stoat

 

[PattyNH]

Our first assumption was a fox because of the severity. We thought a raccoon last time but this was much worse. Just weird that it was in the middle of

I am so sorry for your loss. I know it is devastating. I had a fox trot out of the woods today at 7:15am. I happened to be looking out our kitchen window so saw it. It came up to 20ft from our stone wall which is 20 feet from our deck where our hens were sitting. When I came out the door it ran off so I couldn't get a shot off at it, unfortunately. But it was brazen enough to come up through a clear field in full (although overcas) light. Definitely got me shaken...
~Patty

 

[jayewallace]

We have determined that it was indeed a fox. We set up a camera at the coop that same day and sure enough it came back 2 times that night, at 9:00 pm and again at 3:00 am. Haven't seen it on the property or on camera since that night. But still keeping the chickens locked up in the coop for now.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

We have determined that it was indeed a fox. We set up a camera at the coop that same day and sure enough it came back 2 times that night, at 9:00 pm and again at 3:00 am. Haven't seen it on the property or on camera since that night. But still keeping the chickens locked up in the coop for now.

Your free-ranging days are over. I suggest an electric fence.

 

[chickens really]

this afternoon some time between 2:30 and 4:00 pm something ran through and managed to kill 2 of my hens and my guinea. There were not taken though. 2 of them had large bite marks, chunks missing, and one ripped open with intestines out. 2 more of my hens are missing. They were spread out with feathers everywhere and the 3 dead birds spread out between 250 feet distance. The feathers of my 2 missing hens are also everywhere. What would cause this much damage over such a distance and leave 3 of the 5 dead birds behind?? We have had chickens for 3 years and only recently (about 3 months ago) had our first attack where 2 were missing and 1 dead guinea that was scratched. But this seemed much different and more violent than that attack. So very upsetting. And I was home and didn’t hear anything!

Fox...They kill like that and come back for the ones that they left dead on the ground. I know because it happened here and to the lady up the road.

 

[jayewallace]

Fox...They kill like that and come back for the ones that they left dead on the ground. I know because it happened here and to the lady up the road.

That's what I said to my husband. The fox took 2 to eat at the time it killed them all and was coming back for the 3 that it left dead but obviously they weren't there anymore. I've been checking the camera every morning and it hasn't been back since that same day/night that it killed them. Still not planning to let them out any time soon though. They have quite a large run area that is fenced and now that there's only 3 of them left they have sufficient room.

 

[chickens really]

That's what I said to my husband. The fox took 2 to eat at the time it killed them all and was coming back for the 3 that it left dead but obviously they weren't there anymore. I've been checking the camera every morning and it hasn't been back since that same day/night that it killed them. Still not planning to let them out any time soon though. They have quite a large run area that is fenced and now that there's only 3 of them left they have sufficient room.

Well Fox Run a 10 mile radius and two Chickens will keep it fed a few days. They stash food for use later..