Poorly chicken

[delphzzzz]

One of my girls was killed a couple of months ago, when we were on holiday. Our neighbour was looking after them, couldn't find her in the evening at shutting-in time and when we got back next morning we found her dead in the shrub border. She had been decapitated but her body had been left behind.

 

We have never seen, heard or smelled foxes in the garden, the neighbours haven't seen one for years, and I'm wondering whether this was a small predator like a ferret or stoat. We had an incident this summer when we had a broody with chicks in a pen, when the hen made a lot of noise one morning and when we went out she was staring out towards the pond vegetation, shouting. She was bleeding from just above her beak and so was one of the youngsters. There was a small gap under the run and I wondered whether a small predator had got in. We reinforced the run and it didn't happen again.

 

Yesterday just before shutting-up time there was a big flurry of alarm calls and I saw our cockerel fly down from a shrub looking panicked. The chooks all ran up to me chattering. I'm thinking there might have been another encounter with some animal.

 

I'm now thinking of getting a WIR, but I see the Omlet one has large mesh on the upper half so I'd need to reinforce it if we have small predators around.

 

Does anyone here think they've had a problem with small predators? What did you do? I suppose I could cover the WIR with 1/2" weldmesh but that looks as though it could be difficult.

 

Suggestions welcome!

[Millie-Annie]

Sorry but decapitated sounds like a fox to me. You’d be amazed how small a gap they can get through

 

Others might think otherwise though

[sjp]

Same hear fox. I've noticed that the ones around here aren't scent marking much

not sure about the chick that could have been a peck from mom or one of the other chicks or it just got it's head court on something sharp. stoats etc can get through quite small holes and tend to get into runs and coops to attack

[Blackrocksrock]

I do think it could be a weasel. They get into small spaces and also decapitate their prey. My friends had 2 chooks and a weasel got one - the other was so traumatised they had to put her down. Whatever it is not good. Hope you can get to the bottom if it.

[delphzzzz]

Thanks for the replies. One reason I thought "not fox" is that our garden is surrounded by other gardens, all fenced, and to get into ours a fox would have to pass through several other people's gardens, and all the fences, without being noticed by any neighbour. I take the point though that they can squeeze through small gaps.

 

The injuries in the chick pen can't have been caused directly by a fox getting in the pen, the gap underneath was tiny. Mum and chicks both had injuries to their faces. I really don't think it was mum pecking the chick as she had a worse injury herself, but it could have maybe been caused by a fox/other animal trying to get them and the chooks flapping around in a panic. Still odd that the fox left no traces, and got away through neighbours' gardens without being noticed.

 

I'm thinking of getting a webcam!

[sjp]

the one time I had a fox in the garden with the mob still out it was just before 4pm the school traffic had barely cleared the way it came from it would have gone over minimum of 2 fences and that's after coming up at least 3 roads full of school traffic if it was from the allotments. if it was a Wigmore fox then it would have come through at least six gardens all with 6 foot high fences and crossed through the bulk of the school crowd more likely through it was hiding in one of the gardens which would mean a zigzag course over 5 - 6ft fences to avoid the 3 gardens with dogs in them which at least one fox does most nights of the week and more with ease We know it gets fed about 5 gardens up from me and the only easy way there is over the fences from My garden the one at the back and the next doors and up the street via the rear gardens all the rest have no side access due to extensions and build on garages . so what I'm saying is if a foxes knows were there's a food source garden fences aren't going to form much of and obstacle if cats can get over a fox can easier

[Grandmashazzie]

I didn’t get an Omlet run for the very reason it is not rat or mouse proof. We got a WIR from Flyte so Fancy and it has small wire meld mesh. If you were handy you could make panels yourself and screw together. It does give good peace of mind. Mine are on paving slabs so no burrowing either.

[Olly]

Just to add, foxes can climb almost as well as cats - 6' fences are no obstacle to them, and if you're in a very urban area that would be my guess rather than a weasel/stoat. They can indeed get through small gaps but they are much more rare in urban areas.

[Mars]

I dread holidays because of this reason, foxes, crows and every pest and predator are more likely to visit your garden when you are away, they know no one is in the house.

[delphzzzz]

Thanks for all the replies. I've now set up a motion activated wildlife camera - I've got it taking pics after the chooks are in bed at the moment, but I'll start doing daytime too. So far I've got a robin, a couple of cats and 2 human family members! Will keep going and let you know if something interesting turns up.

[Millie-Annie]

How fascinating, I would love one, but I am too scared of finding out we have another fox