Whole flock killed

[sierranickole]

Last night we forgot to lock up the chicken coop and this morning we found our entire flock had been killed. This isn't the first time we have forgotten to lock up the coop but never had any issues. We live in an urban area really close to major roads. Our backyard is fenced in. All of our chickens were found outside the coop along the fence with only wounds around their necks (fully intact), one was found in the middle of the yard with no head but nothing else was eaten and it took us hours but we found the last chicken with wounds around her neck dead and buried under a bunch of leaves in a corner. There were feathers everywhere! What animal could have done this? Our coop is really close to our window why didn't we hear anything? I am so devastated

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Dog or fox?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Chicken buried in the leaves made me think canine.

 

[Hkofsd]

Doubt fox...they usually eat their prey or take to their young. Possible domestic dog although you would have likely heard that so I guess skunk..night, didnt eat but the buried under leaves???

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Last night we forgot to lock up the chicken coop and this morning we found our entire flock had been killed. This isn't the first time we have forgotten to lock up the coop but never had any issues. We live in an urban area really close to major roads. Our backyard is fenced in. All of our chickens were found outside the coop along the fence with only wounds around their necks (fully intact), one was found in the middle of the yard with no head but nothing else was eaten and it took us hours but we found the last chicken with wounds around her neck dead and buried under a bunch of leaves in a corner. There were feathers everywhere! What animal could have done this? Our coop is really close to our window why didn't we hear anything? I am so devastated

Oh, that’s really too bad! I heard weasels bite and kill chickens like that.

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

Sounds like raptors of some sort. I have had a serious problem with Sharp Shinned hawks and juvenile Great Horned owls the past year. I've had to make improvements in security and had to improve the bird netting over the run. The problem is they think they can haul the chicken off until they figure out it's too heavy. So they leave the dead bird behind, throat slit. Weasels could also be a problem, but I would suspect hawks/owls first.

 

[hayley3]

I'm so sorry...
The one with no head and the one buried under the leaves makes me think raccoon.
But overnight you could've had multiple predators.

A fox would have taken at least one of them...and I assume a coyote would do the same.

I recommend having a baby audio monitor in the coop.

 

[BloomBunny]

Sorry you lost your flock It's surprising how many predators do well in urban environments. A game cam or security monitor can help you get an idea who's around.

 

[centrarchid]

Mink, unless chickens really small, then weasel possible. Fox / Coyote can clear fences and will take at least some carcasses out and I doubt they would cache carcass on sight. Raccoon can do mass kills but I have not seen them bury carcass. Raccoons climb fences well and do maul head and neck of struggling victims. The mink and weasels can do make mass kills (surplus killing) and the former at least will bury some prey items. Opossums not likely to do a mass kill unless trapped in a barrel with a bunch of chickens.

Raptors not going to bury carcass.

 

[sierranickole]

I'm so sorry...
The one with no head and the one buried under the leaves makes me think raccoon.
But overnight you could've had multiple predators.

A fox would have taken at least one of them...and I assume a coyote would do the same.

I recommend having a baby audio monitor in the coop.

Me and my husband were thinking about doing that with our next flock. We had a motion sensors light near the coop but I guess that didn't scare the animal. I'm just surprised we didn't hear anything. We have dogs and they wake up and bark at every little noise.