15 dead chickens, what is the culprit?

smallblockfuelie

smallblockfuelie

New member
I am on vacation at my parents house in NW Missouri and just before I got here something got into her chicken coop and killed 15 - 20 chickens. It happened at night and only one of all those dead showed any signs of being eaten; the rest had just been killed. Any idea what our culprit is? I am out for blood, I was so looking forward to mom making be a big old farm style omlete with fresh eggs!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif
 
In my experience, if they were not eaten, it would be the neighbors dog. He did it for sport. A fox/bobcat will come in and get one, take it back to the den , and feed the family. A coyote maybe but would be a long shot. A possum would eat the eggs and not kill so many at one time. A house dog gets pleasure from the chase, he is not doing it for food.
 
I would say a weasel. They kill just for the pleasure of killing, they bite around the neck and then drink the blood. I have lost quite a few quail to weasels, the little buggers are hard to catch. Possums can also be rough on birds if they find their way into a pen.
 
Not enough pertinent info...Were they loose outside?, Penned in a latched-down coup?, Penned behind a high chicken-wire fence? Eaten or just killed?, ect , ect. Describe the wounds...

Penned-up chickens, most likely weasel, mink, or rat. Especially if open wound throat trauma, killed them.
 
The weasel is innocent until proven guilty. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Sheese! Talk about being persecuted. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Fuelie, The weasel didnt enter my mind. Not many of those around these parts. Dont know what the weasel population is in Missouri
 
I've had raccoons come and kill chickens, turkeys, and ducks through a fence. They will grab them with their hands and pull a body part through and eat on it. I've had some survive (poor things) and some not. I eventually had to give up on raising them because they were costing me too much money.

They will kill a bunch at a time and not eat them (or just little bites)
could it be coons?
 
I have had the same sort of trouble with coons, but I would also suspect a weasel or dog. I have also had skunks do the same thing with small ducks, had to quit raising them (ducks). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif Try trapping 'em, might even be Snuffy Smith gone berserk. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Seriously, I too, would be out for blood. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Ok here's more info.... the chickens were inside a tall chicken fence that had not been dug under. What ever it was proably had to climb over the fence, it is too high for a dog to jump.

The night that it happened she didnt get the chicked door (8"x8") closed and that is how the varmint got in. Some were killed in the coop and the majority were killed out in a big chicken yatrd that is almost 60' square.

Mom just cleaned them up, she didnt check them out to see where the wounds were located the killed the birds. All she remembered is that it was so sad because they didnt have any obvious holes or apparent signs of being eaten.
 
I still think it was a dog, a climbing varmint would have gone in any time. Dog waited till he could get in the gate/door. I assume it has been closed every night since and no more attacks. Dog took advantage of opportunity. He was playing a game with the chickens. Wasn't for food, wasn't meanness. Just a game to him. Just my opinion. Grew up on a farm. We raised everything you can imagine. Most wild animals kill for food, unless they are in a pack and then they may do it for sport, though rarely. This animal would play with one till it quit playing, Then moved on to another.
 
I agree with everyone who said WEASEL!

A weasel will clean out a coop in short order! They are fast and they can climb! They also have a "faint" skunk odor!

About the only damage you'll see (usually) are a couple of small puncture wounds on the neck!
 
I wouldn't say a dog, bobcat or coon, I would say the weasels big cousin a mink, those big roaming Males will make a mess out of chickens, and there are plenty of mink were you live I'm sure and they will travel miles from a water source to get food, just for giggles do you have a creek or drainage near by?
A dog and the chickens would have made a ruckess that people would hear, a mink a different story may get the chickens worked up a little but a stealthy killer and will kill for fun.
 
I would also agree to a mink being the culprit. I lost ten ducks last December to one. he now is in my freezer awaiting the proper new home. Know any fur buyers??
 
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