Author Topic: Slaughter in the Chicken House (Read 4086 times)

Matthew · « **on:** June 02, 2016, 09:44:43 PM »

One of my kids failed to put the brick up against the left-side of the door of the chicken house yesterday evening -- I saw the results of that mistake today.

A total loss. All 9 hens were slaughtered by some stray dog or wild animal.

I had bought 9 chicks (pullets) about 2 1/2 months ago, on St. Patrick's Day. All of them were healthy and not a single one died...until today.

We could only find 3...maybe 3 1/2 carcasses total, all inside the structure. The other 5 1/2 chickens? Gone without a trace.

We don't have a lot of wildlife here, so I'm thinking a stray (or neighbor's) dog did it.

I'm still days (or weeks) from finishing a more deluxe home for my...er...chickens (though I no longer have any). It would be done by now if we hadn't received so much rain during April and May. We're in "monsoon season" here. Rain every day, or every other day. The 3 month drought (which we get almost every year) can't come fast enough for me!

I burned the bodies until my kindling supply gave out (which charred them pretty well -- they smell like a barbecue!) and placed them inside a different "chicken coop" (enclosed structure) and secured the door. I don't want some idiot stray dog nourishing himself on these bodies.

The only thing worse than losing all your chickens, is losing your chickens and feeding stray (or loose neighborhood dogs that might as well be stray) dogs!

I'd rather they liquefy and fertilize the ground.

I was going to bury them, but that would be more work. I have enough work to do, which I am quite behind on.

Unfortunately I had to *buy* the original chicks for $3 each (I paid $1 extra to get all hens), plus whatever food they ate is a loss. I don't know if you can even get chicks during the summer -- certainly not at the Tractor Supply store. All the local, private farms around here want a lot more per chick for some reason. Maybe I'll place an ad on Craigslist or something.

My kids were getting pretty good at taking care of them too. That's why I got them, of course: for the rural livestock learning experience. My oldest 2 girls were the best at handling them. They liked to go in the cage and play with them.

But first I have to get that fenced-in chicken run built, in between thunderstorms!

Today was not a good day for me.

ManuelChavez · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2016, 10:25:13 PM »

I am sorry for your family's loss.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2016, 10:30:02 PM »

I feel bad for you, but your little children are no doubt crying about their chicks. It is so sad to see the children cry when there is not much one can do about it.

Viva Cristo Rey · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2016, 11:05:15 PM »

That is terrible. In the past, a nasty raccoon killed our chickens.

LaramieHirsch · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2016, 11:48:34 PM »

This has happened to me twice. Pisses me off every time it occurs. I even lost a rabbit because of this. I've since taken measures against this sort of thing.

Incredulous · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2016, 12:44:15 AM »

Could be a Racoon, Opossum, Dog, or Cat ?

You need a good dog.

Who loves to chase them all.

Stubborn · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2016, 04:47:05 AM »

Could be a coyote.

JPaul · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2016, 07:29:46 AM »

I am very sorry that this happened to you. I have experience withis this type of thing and have lost chickens to dogs, foxes, ringtail cats, and badgers.

From the look of it, I would say a dog. A few years back I gave my neighbor 13 six month old chickens to get him started. Well, that evening his dog tore into his wire enclosure and killed every one of them. Did not eat them just savged them and left. He then came up to my place over a mile away and broke into the chicken yard and killed five more. Some dogs just go into a frenzy and kill this way. As they say out here, "once they get the taste for it"

If the carcasses were more or less intact, they still had their heads, then you can rule out ringtail who kill by biting off the heads.

You could have foxes out there but they do not usually kill more than one or two and are likely to drag them away before eating them.

Other predators will usually consume almost the whole bird.

This does sound like a dog, and it might be hanging around to look for more, but if you get set up again, it might return for act two.

The best way to be safe and have peace of mind is to put them up at night and close them in their house. Early morning is prime time for attacks, usually just before sunup.

So sorry, I know how distressing this is even to lose one this way, but the whole flock. Well Matt, it is life and death in God's wonderful creation.

God Bless you and the kids. (Wife too :farmer:)

Incredulous · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2016, 01:59:18 PM »

Quote from: J.Paul

I am very sorry that this happened to you. I have experience withis this type of thing and have lost chickens to dogs, foxes, ringtail cats, and badgers.

From the look of it, I would say a dog. A few years back I gave my neighbor 13 six month old chickens to get him started. Well, that evening his dog tore into his wire enclosure and killed every one of them. Did not eat them just savged them and left. He then came up to my place over a mile away and broke into the chicken yard and killed five more. Some dogs just go into a frenzy and kill this way. As they say out here, "once they get the taste for it"

If the carcasses were more or less intact, they still had their heads, then you can rule out ringtail who kill by biting off the heads.

You could have foxes out there but they do not usually kill more than one or two and are likely to drag them away before eating them.

Other predators will usually consume almost the whole bird.

This does sound like a dog, and it might be hanging around to look for more, but if you get set up again, it might return for act two.

The best way to be safe and have peace of mind is to put them up at night and close them in their house. Early morning is prime time for attacks, usually just before sunup.

So sorry, I know how distressing this is even to lose one this way, but the whole flock. Well Matt, it is life and death in God's wonderful creation.

God Bless you and the kids. (Wife too :farmer:)

Wow, good G-2 J.Paul,

So what do you do with the doggy that kills chickens?

My buddy caught his dog eating his chickens and beat him black & blue.
After that, the dog never went near a fowl again.

ihsv · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2016, 02:28:08 PM »

We had 30 hens and are down to 25, mostly due to accidents. None to predators (and there are a LOT around here). The solution is a good old fashioned coon dawg located near the chicken coop. ANYTHING comes near it and the dog alerts us/scares it away.

ihsv · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2016, 02:29:15 PM »

I take that back. We lost 1 hen the winter before last to a bobcat. The snow was deep and the coon dog was in the garage for warmth that night.

Croixalist · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2016, 02:58:22 PM »

I'm sorry to hear it Matthew.

Don't worry though, I'm on the case! First, we'll need to bury a miraculous medal in front of the entrance so Pablo won't be able to get in. Maybe even sprinkle some holy water or place garlic over the door. Next, we'll need to see if there were any ChupaPablo sightings in the area, then we'll need someone to check the firepit at Boston!

:reporter: :detective:

JPaul · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2016, 06:23:08 PM »

Quote from: Incredulous

Quote from: J.Paul
I am very sorry that this happened to you. I have experience withis this type of thing and have lost chickens to dogs, foxes, ringtail cats, and badgers.

From the look of it, I would say a dog. A few years back I gave my neighbor 13 six month old chickens to get him started. Well, that evening his dog tore into his wire enclosure and killed every one of them. Did not eat them just savged them and left. He then came up to my place over a mile away and broke into the chicken yard and killed five more. Some dogs just go into a frenzy and kill this way. As they say out here, "once they get the taste for it"

If the carcasses were more or less intact, they still had their heads, then you can rule out ringtail who kill by biting off the heads.

You could have foxes out there but they do not usually kill more than one or two and are likely to drag them away before eating them.

Other predators will usually consume almost the whole bird.

This does sound like a dog, and it might be hanging around to look for more, but if you get set up again, it might return for act two.

The best way to be safe and have peace of mind is to put them up at night and close them in their house. Early morning is prime time for attacks, usually just before sunup.

So sorry, I know how distressing this is even to lose one this way, but the whole flock. Well Matt, it is life and death in God's wonderful creation.

God Bless you and the kids. (Wife too :farmer:)

Wow, good G-2 J.Paul,

So what do you do with the doggy that kills chickens?

My buddy caught his dog eating his chickens and beat him black & blue.
After that, the dog never went near a fowl again.

Out here, when a dog kills the chickens, most folks kill the dog. My neighbor killed his after that episode. I felt kind of bad but after they do something like what happened at Matthew's home, you cannot take a chance. That kind of aggression could easily transfer to a crawling child, or to goats or cats.

Matthew · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2016, 07:02:21 PM »

Update -- we found a big hole in the side of the "chicken tractor" where the slaughter took place. It was 1-ply chicken wire fencing.

The staples weren't just ripped out -- there was an actual hole in the middle of it! Some animal bit/muscled his way in.

I might have to repair it with thicker (but wider spaced) fence, so this won't happen again.

I just did some reading, and apparently this happens all the time with chicken wire fence. I need to use hardware cloth, apparently.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2016, 07:36:21 PM »

That would be a vicious critter to be strong enough to rip through chicken wire -- what, with its claws and teeth, most likely? That would have made some noise, no doubt, probably disturbed the chickens too, making more noise. Any good guard dog would have heard the ruckus.

Hardware cloth would be a significant upgrade -- but be sure you don't overlook something. Like the beast could dig under the fence, or whatever.