Fox attack - I assume

[MillyR]

I went out this morning, and the pop hole was still shut. There was one dead chicken in the coop, one dead in the field, the cockerel was missing and all the rest of the chickens were fine.

The two chickens which died had no signs on them of being attacked, but there were a lot of feathers, which are perhaps from the cockerel.

I can only assume it was a fox, but don't understand how it got in the coop and then shut the door after itself as it left.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I am thinking of chaining the dogs in the garden today in case it comes back, but don't know what to do tonight as I can't understand how it got in and out.

Maybe the fox was a confidence trickster and persuaded them to open the pop hole by saying he needed to read the meter?

Sorry, that's not very helpful is it? I'd be very confused too. Perhaps they hadn't gone in overnight and he found them late last night/early in the morning?

sorry, that must have been a shock
i havent seen a fox attack so not sure what it would look like. was there no blood at all? any puncture marks on the hens?
do you count them every night? i accidentally shut the pop hole when one of mine was still out a few years ago, she was ok luckily, but now i take a torch and count them before i shut them in for the night
although thinking about it you said one was in the coop so it cant have been that a fox got to ones who werent inside
hopefully someone will come along with better suggestions as i am baffled too

If it were a fox attack, there would be blood and feathers everywhere.

I don't know about the one in the field, but the one in the house is not a fox attack.
If it were, there would have been more than one, and there would have been the blood and feathers again.

It's possible they died from a disease.
It would be worth getting a post-mortem, if you can't see any puncture wounds, or anything that suggests attack. Check them over properly first.

There wasn't any blood on the one in the coop. My neighbour has suggested it might have died of fright. There was a trail of feathers going up the field from the cockerel. We have searched the field and can't find any sight of it.

They have been okay for the last couple of nights, although one has a limp and hid behind some stones rather than go on in the coop. I put it in anyway, and they all huddle up at one end of the perch.

So I really don't know if it was a fox attack or not.

Poor chickens... sorry, can't offer anything other than commiserations, we had a mystery chicken disappearance last month, only a few scattered feathers to suggest her demise - I wondered about a cat attack as I thought a Fox would have taken our other chicken too (I'd not yet returned from work so the coop was still open

Hope you find your cockerel alive

We have had two fox attacks now. the first time there wasn't any sign other than feathers. two girls and the cockerel taken. the second time there were again lots of feathers, four taken and one dead and headless on the lawn. Neither time was there any blood at all just feathers. The second time two others died of fright and so I suspect it was that.

sorry for your loss. I've lost one this morning too, just went outside and the others all came rushing out to greet me but one was dead in the coop. Not sure why and am about to post!

Sorry this happened.

We lost two of our hens to a fox a few weeks ago. It was entirely my fault, lots going on at home, DH had to go to hospital and in the confusion we didn't shut the door. I woke up to the hens screaming at 4am and my dogs barking like mad. (they never bark) We rushed down in our dressing gowns and two hens were out, one was obviously dead by the fence. Three hens seemingly undisturbed perching in the coup and one missing.

I think the cochin had been grabbed first as she was slowest. The fox hadn't been able to get her over or under the fence though, presumably due to her enormous size, so had come back and taken another. The two hens that were out had had the sense to come to the back door step (they often come in the house) and as the door has clear glass and the dogs were there barking, I think that saved them.

There were feathers everywhere and the cochin had marks on her neck where she'd be grabbed/held, but there was no blood really.

The fox has since been back once, about a week later, but I don't think so since. (the dogs bark if it's there) I have kept the window on the henhouse closed and also wedge the door closed to make sure nothing can open it, although there is now a (I think!) fox proof run in front of the house too.

Can you put some sort of catch or lock/bolt on to keep the henhouse door closed, just in case?