Discuss all aspects of raising poultry. No topic is too small
What killed my chickens
I was away last night and my neighbour locked up my hens for me. When he came up there were 2 missing. He found 2 heads and one stripped carcass. He found a wing in the back field as well. They were 2 hybrids that i got last week and they were still at the stage where i was having to put them in at night as they were a bit reluctant to go in by themselves. Given that the other 21 were all fine I presume it happened when the others went in to roost.
My 3 terriers were out but not in the same place, and if it was them and they had fun I would assume that thet would have helped themselves to some of the others today while i was still away.
Would a fox eat one on site and lop the heads off?
Not that I'm complaining, but if it was a fox, why didn't he go into the henhouse and kill some more?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Ronan
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 i know someone that lost 27 hens in one night, if they get in they wont stop at just killin 1.... unless of course it was interupted by your neighbour and fled to safety
johnmryan9@eircom.net
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 foxes i mean
johnmryan9@eircom.net
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 the same happened me last yr, not sure if it was foxes or stoat, most had there heads taken off plus some were buried in the straw bedding which wud not hav been a fox, also it came back the next nite and did the same in my other hen house, i waited up in the house the 3nd nite wit gun in hand but no visiter`s
wexguy
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 ronan i bet it was a fox,i had 2 ducks killed two nights ago,one had some of his neck eaten the other was gone,i had 6 feet mesh wire all round hen house,had 40 hens and 6 ducks in house,one corner wire was down about 6ins,fowl were never locked in to house at night,now on door is closed every night.it was a fox that called to me,he called again next night but he wont be calling anymore.a fox usually kills one or two then stops.a fox can be stopped if it was a mink it would kill every single breed of fowl in one night.i would advise anyone to buy a mink trap.very easy to set it with fish as bait,a mink will go for fish before fowl.
ann
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Are you near forestry Ronan? It could be a pine martin I heard something similar and it was proven to be a pine martin
Oisin Cleary
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 it a mink or badger a mink can get in anywere! came last year and cleaned us all out in 2 nights
antok93
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 a fox would eat all of them and maybe only take 1 or 2 hens to eat
the gap
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
I would say it was a mink we lost all our silkies to one, if it was it will keep coming back,they are a nightmare, our one use to come at night but then started to come through the day, they are extremely clever, we bought a trap but it never went in, ours thank-god got run over by a car outside our house, they get in through the smallest hole,you wouldn't believe how small like 1.5" wide,plus they dig under so make sure your floor is secure, i hope it isn't a mink fingers crossed for you!!
jennymac
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Would a mink or a pine martin be physically able to A eat a full chicken on site or B carry the second one away?
Ronan
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 well it isn't a mink because a mink only kills for fun. it will kill everything nd eat nothing. i wouldn't rule out the dogs
Carl C
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Foxes bite the head off,Mink kill by a bite to the back of the neck at the base of the skull.
simon
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 it was a fox that killed them. fox will kill for sport, take the head, few bites from the others and go home. watch out in the next few nights because he will be back.
alang
Monday, September 27th, 2010
Its Rats
HI
Monday, September 27th, 2010
has to be a badger!!
the chicken ranch
Monday, September 27th, 2010 its definetly a fox,we have seen a fox doin in a pen, we had used yrs ago before we built sheds.he will come back again so be waiting for him next time.
trishdish
Monday, September 27th, 2010
What killed my chickens
I was away last night and my neighbour locked up my hens for me. When he came up there were 2 missing. He found 2 heads and one stripped carcass. He found a wing in the back field as well. They were 2 hybrids that i got last week and they were still at the stage where i was having to put them in at night as they were a bit reluctant to go in by themselves. Given that the other 21 were all fine I presume it happened when the others went in to roost.
My 3 terriers were out but not in the same place, and if it was them and they had fun I would assume that thet would have helped themselves to some of the others today while i was still away.
Would a fox eat one on site and lop the heads off?
Not that I'm complaining, but if it was a fox, why didn't he go into the henhouse and kill some more?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
i know someone that lost 27 hens in one night, if they get in they wont stop at just killin 1.... unless of course it was interupted by your neighbour and fled to safety
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
foxes i mean
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
the same happened me last yr, not sure if it was foxes or stoat, most had there heads taken off plus some were buried in the straw bedding which wud not hav been a fox, also it came back the next nite and did the same in my other hen house, i waited up in the house the 3nd nite wit gun in hand but no visiter`s
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
ronan i bet it was a fox,i had 2 ducks killed two nights ago,one had some of his neck eaten the other was gone,i had 6 feet mesh wire all round hen house,had 40 hens and 6 ducks in house,one corner wire was down about 6ins,fowl were never locked in to house at night,now on door is closed every night.it was a fox that called to me,he called again next night but he wont be calling anymore.a fox usually kills one or two then stops.a fox can be stopped if it was a mink it would kill every single breed of fowl in one night.i would advise anyone to buy a mink trap.very easy to set it with fish as bait,a mink will go for fish before fowl.
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Are you near forestry Ronan? It could be a pine martin I heard something similar and it was proven to be a pine martin
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
it a mink or badger a mink can get in anywere! came last year and cleaned us all out in 2 nights
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
a fox would eat all of them and maybe only take 1 or 2 hens to eat
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
I would say it was a mink we lost all our silkies to one, if it was it will keep coming back,they are a nightmare, our one use to come at night but then started to come through the day, they are extremely clever, we bought a trap but it never went in, ours thank-god got run over by a car outside our house, they get in through the smallest hole,you wouldn't believe how small like 1.5" wide,plus they dig under so make sure your floor is secure, i hope it isn't a mink fingers crossed for you!!
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Would a mink or a pine martin be physically able to A eat a full chicken on site or B carry the second one away?
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
well it isn't a mink because a mink only kills for fun. it will kill everything nd eat nothing. i wouldn't rule out the dogs
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Foxes bite the head off,Mink kill by a bite to the back of the neck at the base of the skull.
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
it was a fox that killed them. fox will kill for sport, take the head, few bites from the others and go home. watch out in the next few nights because he will be back.
Monday, September 27th, 2010
Its Rats
Monday, September 27th, 2010
has to be a badger!!
Monday, September 27th, 2010
its definetly a fox,we have seen a fox doin in a pen, we had used yrs ago before we built sheds.he will come back again so be waiting for him next time.
Monday, September 27th, 2010