Solitary chicken - need advice

[andreafays]

Hi, we have had up until today 4 chickens, however today we have lost one to something, and we are not quite sure what, we have a six foot tall secure fence as a run, which is about 18 foot square and yet something has got in, left quite a few feathers and taken the bird, we do not think, and there is no evidence of a fox getting in, could it possibly be a buzzard as we have had one around for the last few days, I would appreciate any advice possible as I really do not want to loose another, Kind Regards Andrea

[Redwing]

I would say fox but it might be a bird of prey if your chickens are small (young or bantam)

 

If you suspect birds it might be a good idea to net over the top of the run, pigeon netting is cheap. If you suspect its a fox then something more robust will be needed

 

Sorry about your girl

[andreafays]

Thank you so much for your reply, do you think that a Fox would have got over a six foot tall wire fence? We are not planning on letting them out in the run tomorrow, we have a smaller run adjoining their house that has a roof on it so they can stay in there, they wont be happy but all being well they will be safe! xx

[Redwing]

yes, I think foxes can get over that height

 

One option might be to put a section of wire at a 45 degree outward angle at the top of the fence (like you see on security fences) as that might prevent something scaling over

[Patricia W]

Sounds like a fox. Foxes can get over 6ft fences easily. It will probably come back so maybe lock them up and either get electric fencing and/or a foxwatch.

 

Good luck

 

Tricia

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I'm sure somebody on here reported buzzards taking their girls some time ago.

 

We've had buzzards flying over us in the past few days, the chooks have spent quite a bit of time in their covered runs, especially the Bufflings and Blossom who are all so small, although Blossom is only covered with raspberry netting until we get some weldmesh to make her a proper run, she has a tiny weldmesh pen to sleep in in the cat loo, so she's secure at night. I was even worried about the batties and hybrids, hence they got turfed back into the run when I went indoors.

 

I'm sorry you have lost one of your girls, hopefully it was quick and the others recover quickly from their shock .

 

Sha x

[CluckyBucks]

Sorry about your girl, could it possibly be a stoat/weasel ??

 

xx xx

[Tweety]

Sorry to hear that you have lost one of your girls. I lost 2 small bantams, a silver Sebright and a buff Rock, to an unknown predator and I am pretty sure that it must have been a bird of prey. The 2 bantams were with all my other girls free ranging, and all I found of them were a couple of feathers from each - no blood or anything else. The other girls were fine and didn't even seem to be aware that the others had gone - I think if a fox had taken them the others would have noticed something and freaked out themselves. When I rang the breeder to get some replacements, and told them what had happened, they suggested that it might have been stoats or weasels.

My girls are now confined to a very large run behind fencing with bird-proof netting covering the whole run - it is too big to cover with weldmesh - and so far so good. Of course this will not protect them from foxes, who presumably can chew through the netting, but I want to give the girls as much freedom as I can without leaving them totally exposed to danger.

[Olly]

There's a sticky in the FAQs about birds of prey - here.

 

I'm afraid that a fox or a stoat/weasel is probably more likely. Foxes can easily scale a 6' fence.