would you mind weighing in on what got my birds??

[Capvin]

So many people who lose chickens to predators are naturally interested in what possibly killed them. Normally, unless there is left behind some obvious evidence, it is really just guess work and the real problem is that once a predator like a fox, coyote, raccoon, bobcat, etc. find your chickens they will keep coming back until there are no more chickens or they are otherwise detered. Your only hope at this stage is to build a predator proof run and do not let them free range unless you are there to watch over them. You can set up traps and see what you get, but even then it is not a sure thing.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If the dogs are out with the loose chickens, unsupervised, when no one is home and inside when you are home, and if all the deaths occur while you are gone from home, with dogs outside, and not when you are home and the dogs are inside. then it is possible that your own dogs are killing your chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

If the dogs are out with the loose chickens, unsupervised, when no one is home and inside when you are home, and if all the deaths occur while you are gone from home, with dogs outside, and not when you are home and the dogs are inside. then it is possible that your own dogs are killing your chickens.

Confine your dogs while you are gone to see if losses continue. If no, possibly your dogs did it or possibly other caus; if yes the another predator. Do not rule out someone else's dogs and yours simply look on.

 

[nzpouter]

what sort of fencing have you got...?

 

[centrarchid]

what sort of fencing have you got...?

If wild canid, then fencing not likely to be relavent. Most folks over here do not have fencing to exclude foxes, coyotes or even white-tail deer. Fences in most intances keep stock in and neighbors out, and sometimes dogs unless they are particularly athletic. Athletic dogs can match coyote in getting past fencing.