without a trace

[quackersandfern]

Have you tried using the poultry predator identifier tool? http://www.poultrydvm.com/predator-identifier.php

 

[14was1521]

My daughter lost two free ranging flocks just the way you describe. In both cases it was to a fox.....which kept coming back for a month or so after she ran out of birds. Could be seen sniffing around the coop looking for a bird it might have missed or a replacement. Couldn't believe it's dumb luck to find birds somebody put out for

My daughter lost two free ranging flocks just the way you describe. In both cases it was to a fox.....which kept coming back for a month or so after she ran out of birds. Could be seen sniffing around the coop looking for a bird it might have missed or a replacement. Couldn't believe it's dumb luck to find birds somebody put out for it like that.

Did she lose them one at a time? Or all at one time? Fox got my large flock about 5 years ago, (I was in NC then,my fault, did not close my gate that night and awoke to a massacre, I still have guilt, never quite got over that) and last May I was gone from 10 am to 12 and came home to quietness and a mostly missing flock. Fox kills everything in my experience, although I know they will snatch one and run. I feel as if it’s a flying predator, due to no evidence. Thanks for your input.

 

[14was1521]

Could be the dog interrupted the chicken killer, then picked up the bird and brought it home.
What you trap may not be what killed your birds.
Best bet is a secure run and a game cam.

And you may be right about the interruption, but what she brought home had been missing for about 3 days. Game cams are a possible investment if I can afford a few. Thanks

 

[Rooapalooza]

I seriously doubt it was your dog. Where are you sending her? You aren't getting rid of her solely for this, are you?

The neighbors' or stray dogs I've had in my lawn have been very obvious; they love to chase the birds around and leave a ton of feathers where they shake them. Also dogs, if they are being fed properly, won't usually see chickens as a food source so much as a toy. I don't think most dogs would hide the evidence either. I bet your dog was so proud to find one of your chickens and thought she would get some treats for bringing it back to you.

With all your woods I would probably lean towards foxes, but that's just because that's been the worst culprit in my flock. Either that or hawks.

In my own experience, white birds ARE more susceptible to hawks... I don't have an actual study, but for a long time I could not manage to keep a white bird in my flock. Raising them from chicks was impossible. I think I tried 3 different white breeds at different times, and none of them made it past adolescence. However, I should mention that all my white birds looked like boys, and I also always have boys get preyed on more than the girls. I think they offer themselves as a sacrifice . I finally bought a white silkie as an adult, and she has never been attacked. Neither have my huge white Pekin ducks.

My other anecdotal evidence is that I have white Texas A&M quail, which I had a hawk absolutely fixate on. I have free ranging chickens of all ages and sizes, but this hawk was ignoring them and sitting on my quail cage every day for about a month. Finally one day I went out in the morning and the hawk was INSIDE the cage! I couldn't believe it; I still don't know how she got in, I had to let her out. She only killed and half ate one quail, but I have no idea why she never went after my chickens. Maybe she is the one who took my white chickens before and now associates the color white with a good meal?

I would assume in snowy areas white chickens have a slight advantage. That's not the case here in Texas.

 

[Howard E]

Did she lose them one at a time? Or all at one time?

In the case of my daughter's lost birds, it was always 1 at a time. As in about 1 per day. They just vanished without a trace. Coop was visible from kitchen window and even after all the birds were gone, fox could be seen sniffing around the coop during the day. Time of year was in the fall.........she got about 5 eggs from the first flock of 4 birds before they were all gone.

Second flock did better. They survived about a year behind the protection of a wire run.......until she opened the run's gate to let them free range. They lasted less than a week after that.

 

[cmom]

And you may be right about the interruption, but what she brought home had been missing for about 3 days. Game cams are a possible investment if I can afford a few. Thanks

This camera may be worth checking out. I have some similar but not exactly like it. The price is good, $29.99. I am thinking about ordering one even though I don't need another camera.
https://www.amazon.com/Climbose-Hun...rds=trail+game+camera&qid=1581815125&sr=8-267

 

[cmom]

This camera may be worth checking out at $29.99.
https://www.amazon.com/TEC-BEAN-Cam...sr=1-242-dd5817a1-1ba7-46c2-8996-f96e7b0f409c

 

[Naser]

I would say fox

 

[WthrLady]

Older more cautious foxes can do one at a time. They hear a noise and bail with their mouth full. I've noticed the younger ones go crazy and kill as many as they can and then come back to haul off the dead to back up dens for eating later.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I also have given up on trying to have white chickens. It's one reason we have mostly EEs; we free-range them for a couple of hours every afternoon (longer in the summer months), and their mottled appearance seems to help camouflage them. On our property at least, a white bird gleams like a beacon.