[jgirl]

I had 12 beautiful girlies roaming free in our fenced orchard and came home on tuesday to find three left!! Of the other 9 there were only scattered feathers with no bodies in evidence at all. There is no sign of damage to the 4ft fence. We live in rural Wales and have successfully kept chooks for over two years now although I did one day come out to see either a buzzard or a kite fly out of the enclosure and found a dead chook although she was an ex- battery so could have just died of natural causes. If it was a fox or badger how could it have managed to take 9 chooks leaving no evidence behind or will a buzzard/kite actually take chooks? I so loved my girlies and are now afraid to replace them. Is it likely that whatever took them will return? And if so what steps can I take to lessen the risk? I would be so grateful for any info as I am quite bewildered by the missing bodies.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Sounds like a fox to me.

A 4' fence will be no barrier to a fox, even carrying a chicken. There may well be a den with cubs near you and a vixen with hungry mouths to feed. I don't really subscribe to the belief that foxes kill for sport but they do tend to kill all they can catch and if left to it will return to remove any bodies. After all dead chickens can't get away.

Now they know where you are it is likely that what ever it is will come back so you will need to find a way to protect them. You didn't say if you lock them up at night but I would regard that as essential. There are lots of threads on fencing  and it's worth looking them up to see your options.

Sorry about your girls. It's heart breaking when this happens.

[wrinkly1]

it is a fox. on my allotment 24 ducks . 15 hens are slaughtered. they dig under fences and drag the bodies away.   bring back hunting. for all you people who feed and love them you do not see the carnage they create. they are vermin.

[ANHBUC]

Sorry you have lost most of your hens, it does sound like a fox attack.  They are best kept in a fully enclosed run to keep them secure and safe.

[grinling]

Have you got bare earth in your orchard as foxes will bury the dead hens as they prefer older meat.