Sandychick Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 This morning I found that Milly was missing and a big heap of her feathers outside the run. The run is now OTT fox proof and there is no sign of any damage at all. Basically there is no way Milly could have got out and no way anything could have got in either. There was also no disturbance in the run and not one of Milly's feathers to be seen in there - this suggests there was no panic or attack in there. There is no doubt that she was in the run last night. Anyone have any ideas?? My only explanation is that it was a human attacker ( doesn't make much sense either though) Last week I had 4 lovely hens. Jemima was PTS at the vets a few days ago, now I've lost Milly. Not having a happy chicken time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 OMG that is horrific. must be the worst not knowing so you can then at least try to stop another attack. how are the remaining girls? Oh poor you, this is my biggest fear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 So very sorry to hear this, and it does sound very strange indeed. Could she have been lifted out through the roof by something? Why would a human attacker leave a pile of feathers? Very odd, plenty of questions but no answers must be awful for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Oh dear!! Sorry ........what a mystery??? I had a bad run earlier this year with chicken loses, Horrid!! Could somebody else have accidently let her out last night?? The pile of feathers sounds just like a fox attack?? Let us know if you figure anything out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Thanks. She definitely wasn't let out last night - there is only me living here and I didn't let them out at all yesterday. I checked them just before they went off to bed, and all were there and ok. The door was bolted shut this morning too. The roof is solid and tiled so no possibility there either. I've seen the devastation that a fox leaves a couple of times and this just has no resemblance to that. The feathers are in neat piles - one tail and wing feathers, and another heap of the rest. I'll have another look when I get back from work to see if there are any other clues to what happened. Molly and Matilda seemed no different to usual this morning. I'm just worried about them tonight. It's awful not knowing how it could possibly have happened. I'm also looking at getting a camera to put up in the tree. It looks very sad with just 2 hens left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 That's horrible, not knowing what actually happened. If you're positive she was in the run, it can only have been a human . I'm so sorry . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Oh goodness, that sounds horrific. Is there any way you can padlock your run at night to be sure no two legged foxes can get in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Awful to think that a person would do such a thing? Surely not but as you are fox proof can think of no other explanation, and all I can say is pity help the person who did that to one of my girls if I caught him/her........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 I've now fitted a hasp and staple & lock to the WIR, padlocked the eglu run, and locked the side gate into the back garden as well. My neighbor called round this evening. Milly was in his garden and it looks very much like she was thrown over the fence next to the run. There are no signs of any wounds on her either. It all adds up to something even more sinister than a fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 So sorry, as that sounds just horrible trying to imagine someone doing that to a poor wee innocent chicken. What's wrong with people if they think that is funny? Could it be bored teens thinking it was a lark? If so, I fear for their future if they could do such a thing......terrible that you have to go to the extremes of locks everywhere as well, but what alternative is there? Poor wee Milly. So sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximum_999 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 It is always good to increase security for your peace of mind, if it were human activity it would be quite unusual to break in, steal a chicken, then start to remove feathers at the crime scene, the risk of getting caught is high. Our experience with foxes and other predators is,that they are extremely tenacious and will find a way through what we think is a secure fence. Have you checked your mesh to see if the wire has been pulled and sprung back, could the entrance have been forced by an animal? It would be worth examining at fingertip level the run and coop to see if there is anywhere at all that a fox could push through One way to see if it was human that caused the death would be to check the chicken's neck to see if it has been broken, sorry to,sound a bit gruesome but it may help establish some facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Our experience with foxes and other predators is,that they are extremely tenacious and will find a way through what we think is a secure fence. Have you checked your mesh to see if the wire has been pulled and sprung back, could the entrance have been forced by an animal? It would be worth examining at fingertip level the run and coop to see if there is anywhere at all that a fox could push through I've had 2 fox attacks, one in December and another in April - I lost all my hens both times. After that, I have made the run as foxproof as humanly possible - there is absolutely no way a fox could have got in or out. I have checked the run over and over again today, and there is no damage at all, all mesh is perfectly intact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 What an awful thing to happen, and worrying to think there may have been someone in your garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Oh that really is awful Some people are just despicable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavo121 Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 That sounds awful and to me a human attack. Just terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickanne Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Sorry to hear about this. Have you got a techno-friend who could set up surveillance? Low tech solution might be some little bells suspended u"Ooops, word censored!"trusively and a sign saying "Smile - you're on Candid Camera"? Might be enough to make a 2-legged intruder nervous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 Molly and Matilda are both safe and well this morning. I'm sure they slept better than I did Sorry to hear about this. Have you got a techno-friend who could set up surveillance? I've just ordered one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261260927474?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 I'll leave it set up at night. Hope I don't get a re-occurrence of whatever happened, but at least I'll have an answer if it does. Should get some cute hedgehog pictures anyway which will cheer me up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Is it worth alerting the police if you think it was human intervention? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
