With heavy heart I'm coming here for help....

[bobbi-j]

ur not sounding like an imbicel i would personly dump poison around my freaking yard until every potential predator eats it ;-;

Along with your own pets, the neighbors' pets and a host of beneficial animals that would be unintended targets. And probably not the fox you're trying to kill.

 

[Xristo702]

Yeah, I miss my little brood dood....but I won't be applying some kind of scorched earth policy to dealing with any predators that may (or may not) have done it.

A foxes turf is about 1.5 - 2km. So it will remain close by with the rest of its litter for quite some time...I'm going to borrow a live trap from a hunter (that would be big enough to nab a coyote) and I will only set it during the day and put it away during the night.... and I will set it relatively close to the scene of the crime.

Whatever its going to be, I want to trap a predator in the area it was patrolling, during the hours it operates, and according to the way it kills chickens.... leaving me with as little doubt as possible.

 

[lyford]

sorry for your loss. One of the draw backs of keeping hens is that everything likes eating chickens. you need to build your girls the sturdiest most predator proof enclosure you can. I agree with the response that killing one fox won't solve all your predator problems, but if it were me "SSS".

 

[bobbi-j]

Yeah, I miss my little brood dood....but I won't be applying some kind of scorched earth policy to dealing with any predators that may (or may not) have done it.

A foxes turf is about 1.5 - 2km. So it will remain close by with the rest of its litter for quite some time...I'm going to borrow a live trap from a hunter (that would be big enough to nab a coyote) and I will only set it during the day and put it away during the night.... and I will set it relatively close to the scene of the crime.

Whatever its going to be, I want to trap a predator in the area it was patrolling, during the hours it operates, and according to the way it kills chickens.... leaving me with as little doubt as possible.

The thing is, your fox may also be patrolling at night. I know your chicken was nabbed during the day, but foxes are opportunists and will also hunt at night.

 

[Pinkaboo]

Sorry your chicken was killed, you seem to be approaching things in a very reserved way considering how upset you must be, I hope you catch the fox( are you planning on killing it?)
I'm getting nervousness as my chickens free range and two neighbours chickens have been killed very recently, my run is only chicken wire but I'm outside nearly all the time, at night they are locked in the coops, hopefully safe!

 

[Xristo702]

That's the thing...it was pretty much an indoor chicken.
It would stay perched on the edge of a box in my bedroom and just look at me with a content look on its face.

At night it would sleep indoors and all winter it would stay in a cage in the basement....the only time it was let out was during the day, with people around, and VERY close to the house for grazing and dust baths.

I just borrowed a trap and the guy tells me he strongly suspects it was a fisher cat or a weasel....but I don't think the speed/nature of the kill is consistent with some borderline rodent like a weasel/mink/skunk/etc.

Guess I'll find out soon enough (god willing).

 

[Pinkaboo]

Its like losing a cat or dog them
It was a pet , sounds like it had a great life too and you made each other happy

 

[aart]

Don't think a weasel is big enough to carry off a bird that fast....maybe the larger variety is. But a fisher is a pretty large animal.

 

[Ponyfeather]

I'm so sorry for you loss, but I suppose if you get another baby the best bet is to have a outdoor enclosure so nothing like this ever happens again better safe hen sorry. My heart goes out to you because I have a house chicken too, she sitting on my bed right now.

 

[Kazfam]

During the day, no body left --> fox or coyote.
Are these animals native to your area?

I am sorry this happened...don't fret...when you're ready get another bird or two and keep them housed in something more varmint-proof...is that possible?

Hugs...and don't fret.