CSI Wexford: a chicken killer on the loose
Warning: some of these images are not pleasant – words first in case you are sensitive.
There is something killing the chickens, and ducks and geese. A few weeks ago we had a killing spree one night when a couple of ducks disappeared and the big gander in the field was killed. It was a mystery because there was no obvious sign how anything could get over the 2m high fence and there were no gaps or holes at the base. The gander was killed with precision – a small bite at the base of the neck; no mess and nothing eaten. It was a clean kill. But where did the ducks go? What animal could have dragged them over a 2m fence? In the end we hoped the ducks may have escaped and we thought mink might be the killer. But why did it kill the gander and not eat it? And if it was mink surely they couldn’t have pulled a dead duck over the fence.
We thought that was the end of it until the other morning. I should have guessed something was wrong when my feet on the gravel did not send the geese honking defensively. There, in another pen, were the corpses of 7 chickens – hens and a cock. A duck and two geese remained but were, understandably, subdued. A duck was missing along with another cock but the latter later appeared – he must be a scaredy-cock and was hiding up a tree or somewhere. It seems impossible that something got over the fences and back out and even more so with its prey! Apart from anything it dragged out it only ate the head and neck of one of the hens – all the rest had their throats ripped out but were not eaten.
This maniacal killing is what you would expect of a fox but apart from the fact that the pens have never been attacked before it seems unlikely they could get in and out.
So that leaves buzzards as the next suspect but I don’t think that would kill so many animals just for the fun of it.
So we have our old friend the mink as a suspect or maybe otters as they live in the nearby river.
If you have any ideas I would love to hear your suggestions.
The Biking Gardener 
Dislike. That’s terrible. Sorry I couldn’t read it. When we had quail killed it was bad so is rather not see the images but am sorry this has happened.
I understand – it was a nasty shock and i can only imagine the panic as it happened. I wont dwell on it and next post will be different
You have my sympathy. : )
How grim! But that’s Mother Nature!
That’s true but I have to find out what bit of nature is doing it and stop it! I am off for an electric fence tomorrow I think so if it climbs, jumps, scrambles or slithers it will get a shock.