Something killed one of our last three hens. During the day-morning. Everything was gone but the feathers and feet. Do you think this could have been a dog? We're having problems with the nearest neighbors dogs. Thanks

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), November 10, 2001

Answers

Usually a neighborhood dog will kill it and leave it while something like a fox will just leave feathers and feet (?) Sorry to hear you're down to two hens!

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), November 10, 2001.

I am so sorry, Cindy. The one chicken I lost to a fox I found the carcass by following a blood trail. It was mostly consumed, and it was in the very early morning hours, just at the very break of day. When dogs have killed birds here they eat the head, chest, and leave the body intact other than that. I hope you find what got it before it can kill again.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), November 10, 2001.

I also am sorry Cindy...sounds like fox VS domestic dog..I have seen lots of dead chickens courtesy of dogs and they mostly do as other posters have already remarked, or some will carry off the entire carcass to their own place..I have never heard of dogs leaving just feet and feathers....

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), November 10, 2001.

Some months ago when I had my first bunch of chickens (23 female, 2 male) the neighbor's dog was allowed to run loose at night. The dog some how found a way into the hen house and killed all of them. They were about a month old.

The dog had killed the other neighbor's ducks and geese and had already killed my goats.

No amount of fencing or wood barriers could keep this dog out.

To put a stop to this dog, another neighbor took the dog to another town and gave him to a family who would keep it in the yard.

Since that time we have had to deal with other wild life trying to make use of our chicken dinners.

My husband went to the farm store and bought for $50 a animal trap. This thing is priceless!

He sets the trap with cat food whenever we have evidence that something has been searching for a way into the chicken pen or coop.

Two nights ago a possum got into the hen house (it had to work for several hours to get in!). It climbed up onto the nest shelf and killed one of the hens in her bed. He dragged the dead hen down to the location where he had gotten in and attempted to take the hen with him. The hen would not fit thourgh the hole and his efforts ended with him ripping off the neck and taking the head with him.

My husband put out the trap baited with canned cat food last night and caught him. He took him to the place he takes animals and releases them (wild animal preserve).

So far he has caught 3 skunks, 3 possums and 3 coons.

A person has to inspect their pen and coop daily for evidence of attempted entry. If you don't you will lose more than the occassional hen.

The rat snakes there isn't much you can really do, and I don't mind if they take an egg now and then because they keep away the rattle snakes and cotton mouths.

Cindy

-- Cindy (cmutchie@msn.com), August 08, 2003.