Fox killed my chickens las night

[Allroundhunter]

Hi mate am based in Chesterfield Peak District Derbyshire. How did you get on with that Charlie did you nab it? Am a ex gamekeeper and just interested if you got the fecker

 

[Contndr35BB]

I saw a video where chickens were killed in a similar way and the the guy trapped a mink in the chicken house. It also just ate the heads and left the bodies of the chickens.

Minute 14.05

Bobcat walking, cats step gingerly.

 

[Contndr35BB]

I saw a video where chickens were killed in a similar way and the the guy trapped a mink in the chicken house. It also just ate the heads and left the bodies of the chickens.

Minute 14.05

Definitely a weasel/mink . Any predator will eat / take the body . Has happened many times on our family farms .

 

[maxtrouble]

@EncoreUneFois - Checking in to see how the fight goes. Any ID on the critter? Catch him yet? How is Small Boy doing?

 

[dv8eod]

Must not have gone well. OP hasn't been back since Jan 24.

 

[Allroundhunter]

Must not have gone well. OP hasn't been back since Jan 24.

Hope he’s not missed the fox and hit something else

 

[Ezana4CE]

Hope he’s not missed the fox and hit something else

If he doesn't have a permit/license for an FAC air rifle, with my understanding of British gun laws, he is legally stuck shooting an air rifle producing 12 fpe or less. I wouldn't want to be the guy tasked with killing a fox with a 12 fpe air rifle.

 

[Allroundhunter]

If he doesn't have a permit/license for an FAC air rifle, with my understanding of British gun laws, he is legally stuck shooting an air rifle producing 12 fpe or less. I wouldn't want to be the guy tasked with killing a fox with a 12 fpe air rifle.

There is other ways to get skin
A Fox but your right don’t fancy his chances with a 12 fp rifle hope he’s ok though

 

[Magendi]

I had a friend with a similar situation, was sure it was a weasel, turned out it was a hawk. If there were walls on the coop but no roof I’d bet it was a hawk. Just because something took the bodies the next night doesn’t mean anything, plenty of scavengers around. Who cares what ate them once already dead, what matters is what did the killing.

At any rate, you will never be rid of the predators so I would think the bigger priority is shoring up the coop to protect the new hens.

 

[Ezana4CE]

I had a friend with a similar situation, was sure it was a weasel, turned out it was a hawk. If there were walls on the coop but no roof I’d bet it was a hawk. Just because something took the bodies the next night doesn’t mean anything, plenty of scavengers around. Who cares what ate them once already dead, what matters is what did the killing.

At any rate, you will never be rid of the predators so I would think the bigger priority is shoring up the coop to protect the new hens.

@Magendi I definitely agree with shoring up the coop. I am curious as to what type of hawk eats chicken heads. In my area they will take the entire bird.

 

[Magendi]

I was surprised too, but he caught it on camera (common red tailed hawk). The only thing I can think is the sheer number of easy targets in a confined space made it kill with abandon. Hard to imagine it doing that with wild prey.

 

[fishing43]

Now I have to be a little bit careful here as I’m in the UK and in an urban situation. Has anyone any tips to baiting a fox onto their land? I know where they are denning, but it is not on my property. I want them dead and staked on an anthill. Those chickens were pets and friends as well as laying like belt fed mortars. My autistic son is distraught. The horrible little vermin only ate their heads.

I would speculate that a member of the weasel family was responsible.