The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Bramblecot on March 26, 2012, 03:16:25 pm
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Our ex-batts. free range in the garden when we are at home to supervise them. I have just found a dead hen, still warm, in the middle of the drive, but behind gates. There are no feathers scattered around but the head and neck are completely missing - as if it had been sliced off - and there is no blood spilt. We didn't hear any commotion either. Any ideas what has kiiled this poor hen, which was a very healthy, friendly bird (she used to try and come into the kitchen and shared food with the dogs)!
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I'd say it's a classic case of a fox attack. They take the head and come back later to get the body (if it's still there).
I'd keep an eye on the rest of your chooks otherwise Mr Renard will be back for more now he knows where the local take-away is.
Sorry for your loss, it always seems to happen to the friendly ones... :bouquet:
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Really sorry.
Only had one visit from Mr Fox. Where I lived before and in broad daylight, while I was in! They made no noise or commotion. I looked up and there he was, heading down the garden. Ran out but he had already taken one. Just like yours .... head taken clean off. He had hidden her body behind the hen pen and was coming back for number two. Would have expected to hear the girls alarmed but nothing .... so .... yes could be a fox. Keep an eye out. He may well come back.
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Might be a chance of it being a mink too - they're really bad for just taking the heads :-\
So sorry for your poor chook, but it would have been quick (if that's any consilation)
Karen :bouquet:
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Strange not to see any sign of a struggle, sure you have not got any strange folk ::) around you that just need a chicken head????
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Just found another one, killed in the same way. I thought we had got over fox attacks. Usually there is a load of noise and feathers everywhere. And we have been here all day...so much for free range hens.
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Oh no!!!
Sorry.
We thought the same. They can be so noisy but there wasnt a sound and they were all pecking away as he headed down for number two. No feathers, no sign of anything.
Think you will have to keep them in for a while. Guess he will keep coming back for a while now.
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Really sorry for your losses - it's heartbreaking when it happens.
I had all but one of my flock wiped out by a fox a few years back, I miss them dreadfully but I'm nervous about getting more for fear of more attacks.
Maybe it was a particularly crafty fox and took them unawares which is why there was no commotion.
As mentioned earlier, the chances are the fox will be back for more.
Maybe you need a goose/gander - reading another thread on here it sounds as though they can sometimes keep the foxes at bay.
I really hope you don't lose anymore. :'(
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We had a fox strike just before Christmes Bramblecot. Cockerel was lying there, headless, with the fox next to him. Only went down to look because the Leghorn Bantams in the greenhouse alongside were going crazy. No-one else had responded. Fox jumped the wall in an instant and returned once before the electric fence went up.
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Really sorry to hear that.
Mink sounds possible - my experience of stoats is that they rip the neck but don't take the head.....
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So sorry.
It's always so sad when the fox comes a calling.
Make sure they are locked up tight with place something that makes a loud noise nearby to the doors. I lost all my ducks and hens [25] in one night. Horrible mess. After taking one the day before I think a pack of foxes returned and ripped the timbers off the door to get into the house. I didn't hear a thing. I wouldn't mind if they took one for dinner but it was frenzied mutilation.
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I reckon it's pretty definitely a fox. The same has happened to me a few times last year. I had an ark full of araucana poults. It was on our front lawn underneath my bedroom window. I had the window open too. One night I forgot to put the back on and I woke up at about 3.00am and rushed down to do it. Then found all the poults dead and headless on the lawn. I didn't hear a thing. I picked the bodies up and put them on top of the ark and the bloody fox came back after I had gone back to bed and took them. Now I only let my chooks out of their pen when I am at home.