What predator killed my chickens??

[Weehopper]

My guess is coyote. Don't ever underestimate a coyote. Probably two coyotes.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

My guess is coyote. Don't ever underestimate a coyote. Probably two coyotes.

But would coyotes be able to scale a nine foot fence and then be able to get back out again?

 

[Weehopper]

They prefer to go under, but if are absolutely there is no small space where they can go under, then, I think, yes, if they wanted to. You got no prints, no hair, no telltale sign at all?

 

[ShrekDawg]

9 foot is pretty high though, I could see them scaling a 6 foot fence but 9 feet? And to take 4 birds in one night? To me it seems like a lot of effort for a meal, coyotes and most predators are opportunistic hunters as well as scavengers so they would try to take the easiest meal first. And I bet there is probably A LOT of trash to forage through in urban or suburban California. But that said, if they were really desperate I suppose they might try. I think it really depends on the type of fence though. Chainlink I could see it as possible but unlikely but onw of those solid wooden board ones? It would have to one agile coyote....

 

[Weehopper]

I agree, but what the heck else could it be? Coon would leave a big mess, and never take so many at once. Same with fox, I would think. Predatory bird, maybe, but so many at once? I don't think so. I've had a coyote come in in the middle of the day and snatch a full grown hen turkey with nary a sound, and no more than one or two feathers on the ground.
I'm thinking what is needed is a trail cam, but if there are no birds left, whatever it was may not come back. And, I think there is a hole under the fence somewhere, in some non descript place (i.e. In the brush, etc), that is not being noticed.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree, but what the heck else could it be? Coon would leave a big mess, and never take so many at once. Same with fox, I would think. Predatory bird, maybe, but so many at once? I don't think so. I've had a coyote come in in the middle of the day and snatch a full grown hen turkey with nary a sound, and no more than one or two feathers on the ground.
I'm thinking what is needed is a trail cam, but if there are no birds left, whatever it was may not come back. And, I think there is a hole under the fence somewhere, in some non descript place (i.e. In the brush, etc), that is not being noticed.

Very true, plus I thought coons mostly reached through the fence and broke necks/ripped heads off? Yeah, I was just gonna say maybe an owl or something but I doubt they would take so many. Unless maybe they had babies to feed but they don't breed this time of year do they? Plus if it left and came back 4 separate times (to get all 4, since it could never carry 4 off at once or even 2), then surely the birds would have caught on and started getting panicked? Yeah, coyotes can be bold and you're right, seems odd there are so many feathers. Trail cam is definitely needed though maybe if they get more chickens fo replace them whatever it is will come back? And I didn't think of that but you're probably right, no way something could scale a 9 foot fence, there has to be a hole somewhere

 

[bobbi-j]

All four of my chickens were taken in one night and I'm so upset! I've searched on-line and it's a such a mystery as none of the predators seem to fit. The chickens were in a coop that was in a closed fenced area with 9 foot fences..no holes were found.
The coop was kept open as the chickens went in and out on their own as I never had issues before this one.

The chickens were completely gone all in one night..only feathers remained.(lots of feathers!) No carcasses. No blood or bones. They just disappeared. No sound.

We live in a residentail area of CA...occasional coyote siting (but they could not scale fence); occasional coons (but they leave bones?),occasional bobcat (but it could not take 4, could it??), occasional fox (but it could not take 4 and they do not run in packs?),
same with hawk..how could it take all 4 at once?

I'm stumped and would love any ideas...
heartbroken...

If the fenced in area didn't have anything over the top, I'd guess coons, mink or other climbing type animal. I don't know if bobcats would scale a fence like that or not.

Very true, plus I thought coons mostly reached through the fence and broke necks/ripped heads off? Yeah, I was just gonna say maybe an owl or something but I doubt they would take so many. Unless maybe they had babies to feed but they don't breed this time of year do they? Plus if it left and came back 4 separate times (to get all 4, since it could never carry 4 off at once or even 2), then surely the birds would have caught on and started getting panicked? Yeah, coyotes can be bold and you're right, seems odd there are so many feathers. Trail cam is definitely needed though maybe if they get more chickens fo replace them whatever it is will come back? And I didn't think of that but you're probably right, no way something could scale a 9 foot fence, there has to be a hole somewhere

I don't know that coons "mostly" kill one way or another. They will take whatever is available in the easiest way possible. If chickens are roosting within reach of the fence, coons will reach in and dismember them. If they are hungry enough, I don't think scaling a 9' fence would deter them.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

The coons here have just left feathers. It may not be "one" coon but a family of coons.
The family of raccoons I trapped this summer were a mother, father and 4 young. They'd make quick work of four hens.

Foxes hit at supper time and took 8 chickens within 40 min. Just bunches of feathers left.
Happened right in the yard within sight with the dog sleeping. Spooked the one guinea into a rabbit pen and we never heard anything.
It was two young and a subordinate female who was teaching them to hunt.

 

[ShrekDawg]

If the fenced in area didn't have anything over the top, I'd guess coons, mink or other climbing type animal. I don't know if bobcats would scale a fence like that or not. 

I don't know that coons "mostly" kill one way or another. They will take whatever is available in the easiest way possible. If chickens are roosting within reach of the fence, coons will reach in and dismember them. If they are hungry enough, I don't think scaling a 9' fence would deter them. 

That makes sense and gonna need better protection in that case

 

[ShrekDawg]

The coons here have just left feathers. It may not be "one" coon but a family of coons.
The family of raccoons I trapped this summer were a mother, father and 4 young. They'd make quick work of four hens.

Foxes hit at supper time and took 8 chickens within 40 min. Just bunches of feathers left.
Happened right in the yard within sight with the dog sleeping. Spooked the one guinea into a rabbit pen and we never heard anything.
It was two young and a subordinate female who was teaching them to hunt.             

Wow you've had bad luck :/ but in that case, sounds like this predator could be almost anything