dutchie Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 We've had a predator attacking our chickens, but not sure what is attacking them. Oddly the bantams have been ok, but the Black Rhode Rock and Red Calder Ranger have both been attacked several times and finally taken. The Red Calder Ranger was attacked on the back, she had a puncture wound, lots of feathers missing, nursed her back to health in the house. Put her back outside with a saddle to protect her back from the cockerels. Did well, but 3 months later it was attacked again, all that was left was a trail of feathers. Saddle gone too. The Black Rhode Rock was attacked about 3 months ago, feathers everywhere, but escaped through the hedge, jumped down a 2m high wall, onto the road. She was the friendliest hen we had. Took us several days to catch her on the other side of the road as she was petrified, and took treats, but ran off into holly bushes as soon as we went near her. Had been attacked on her keel, which was bare of feathers, but just some scrapes. But she was taken this evening before dusk. Feathers left, and near our pond found intestines. We have an autodoor on our walk-in run, so they can free-range during the day. Any ideas what the predator could be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Fox would have taken the hens away and they probably wouldn’t have escaped the first time. Maybe a weasel? How big were the punctures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Sorry to hear that. Photos would help. A fox will usually take one and leave the other corpses (often headless) to come back for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Attack on the back points to a buzzard. Have you any flying around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchie Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 Yes, I don't think it's a fox, as in our old house we had foxes, and they tended to be pretty lethal and wouldn't leave a wounded chicken alive. Although we didn't have cockerels then. With the Red Calder Ranger, it was just a single puncture wound, which was pencil sized, but lots of feathers missing, so was some struggle. We do have red kites around here, and I did see one taking a small bird once in our garden. But it sat in a tree afterwards and plucked the feathers, which leaves a neat cirular patch of feathers below the tree. Which I've found a few times. But in the chicken attacks, the feathers have been all spread out, like the chicken has been dragged along. I did install one of those outdoor wildlife cameras, but all it's snapped so far is the kids, cats and a hedgehog. But the good news is that this morning, just as I was about to tell the kids, guess who was clucking by the front door. That's right Misako, the Black Rhode Rock had survived and gone to ground somewhere. I did search over an hour for her last night, but she must have been well hidden. She's too jumpy to let me check her over, so will have to do it later when she's settled, but she looks ok apart from the missing feathers. Further inspection of the intestines in the light of day showed that it was the remains of a large mouse. Wasn't obvious in torch light. Maybe the predator is a cat. I did see one taking a large pigeon in our garden last year. Very relieved Misako is still with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 It will be interesting to see what it was. Dose their water with Vit Boost Tonic - the B vits will help to calm them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 A cat was my second thought (after weasel but with a weasel the puncture wounds would be much smaller than pencil sized). A bird of prey my third thought. Now thinking either cat or bird but difficult to say without seeing them. Hope Misako does OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchie Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 Thanks for the Vit Boost advice. She calmed down a bit this evening, and managed to check her over. She's been attacked in the same place as last time, along her keel, bare of feathers, and just a few scratches. Will keep them in their run for a few days, and move my wildlife camera about in a few different locations to see what it snaps. Chicks moving outside soon too, so another thing to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 I don't know what your set-up is like, but if you post some photos, we can give you advice on beefing up your security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchie Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 (edited) Thanks, security is ok as I have Omlet walk-in and Eglu runs. It's more a problem of when I let them free-range during the day. Thankfully Misako is doing fine, didn't even stop laying. Edited July 26, 2020 by dutchie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 You may just need to restrict or stop their free ranging now that you know there's a predator around. How are you getting on with photographic evidence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Dutchie, you mention red kites. Are you Chilterns based, by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 1 hour ago, soapdragon said: Dutchie, you mention red kites. Are you Chilterns based, by any chance? They are prevalent there, but in most places now Soapy - even up here in The People's Republic of North Oxfordshire! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
