[fraggle69]

Just wondered if anyone has ever had a fox attack with absoloutely no sign other than no chickens.  About 4 and half months ago, we lost a chicken.  MAybe she left home, but a few days later we returned after a night away to find just 1 dead chicken and 1 dead duck and lots of feathers.  3 of our chickens survied and the the 2 geese were unharmed.  We thought it was a little odd that the fox had made off with atleast 4 ducks.  I deduce from this that there may be more than one fox or the little sod is living very close to us and is able to do a few trips to his take away.  Perhaps living under a garden shed.

Anyway, we got down to three chickens and were actually given another 2 to boost our numbers again.  We didn't replace the ducks, as we looked at how to secure everything but that's another topic.

Came home after a night away to find no Chickens and no sign of any struggle.  I would have thought we'd see a clump of feathers but no.  Are these nija foxes?  Everything I read says they tend to kill everything and take 1, or the heads are ripped off and left.  We're talking 5 good sized chickens that just seems odd.

It's entirely poss that the first attack was indeed a fox and we got lucky any were left alive.  This time just seems a bit fishy, however not entirely unexpected.

My only option now is to secure a run rather than giving them the run of the garden, before getting new ones in.  Geese are remarkably untouched, but I bet they made a right noise.  I might go down the route of a fox trap, but I am likely to end up trapping the odd cat here and there lol.

[joyfull]

I had the same with mink attacks.The first time I saw the mink but the second time I found the dead bodies in the field amongst the crops - this time there had been no sign of a struggle at all 

[evie2]

With our first 3 chickens, one was taken by a fox with evidence left at the bottom of the garden, about 6 months later the remaining 2 disappeared over night but there was no evidence left that time.  We know we have visiting foxes and a badger,  the badger has been seen in the garden during the day, althtough we haven't seen it for a while now

There's also the 2 legged variety of predator who rarely leaves any evidence behind

[grinling]

Was there any damage to the house? Are they shut in at night or is the pophole left open? Mine have their own run, with extra during the day. Closing the pophole at night now.
Previous place had foxes and would either dig or climb over chicken wire, not mine as I foxed proofed it.
If you install a trap check often for things you do not want trapped, hedgehog caught twice so far!!

[themagicaltoad1]

Foxes will kill the birds then take them one at a time and bury them somewhere to eat when their food runs low. Often if you've been left with dead birds it's because the fox has been disturbed and had to leave them behind. Unfortunately it sounds like whatever your predator is it's realised you are supplying a handy meal for it, and will continue to come back.