PREDATOR killed my chickens

[ArkRescue]

I am feeling sick inside (again) from discovering 2 dead chickens this morning (pre-dawn). I thought one of the new ones (pullet) was killing chickens (lost 3 in past few days) but I am wrong. For the first time in 6 years of having chickens, a predator got into my coop. It's awful to have happen believe me.

I do know where some of the weaknesses are, so I will work on those today, and I will be setting traps all around the coop to try to catch the killer. It is not my intention to kill it, but I want to. I know it's just surviving the only way it knows how.

My Sweetie (brown leghorn) was scared and hiding under a chair near one of the dead bodies, meaning she flew away in the dark to the other side of the coop 20 feet away. Poor thing was terrified. So I've lost 5 chickens in the past week. Yesterday Darla was still alive with half her back/sides eaten out, so I had to put her out of her miserly. I've never had to kill one of my own chickens before like that, and it made me feel really sick even though I know I was doing the right thing to put her out of her misery,

So what should I do with the predator if I trap it? If I had something small like a 22 I'd shoot it.

 

[aps45819]

Any feral cats in the area?

 

[bcp]

So what should I do with the predator if I trap it? If I had something small like a 22 I'd shoot it.

I gave up on the chickens a few years back after the fox got in and killed a few of them. No sense in feeding the fox.

But, maybe you can relate this to how some people feel about seeing their neighbors cat go after the birds at the feeder.

 

[ArkRescue]

Any feral cats in the area?

nope, no feral cats here at all. They wouldn't have stopped the predator, may have been another victim though.

 

[ArkRescue]

I gave up on the chickens a few years back after the fox got in and killed a few of them. No sense in feeding the fox.

But, maybe you can relate this to how some people feel about seeing their neighbors cat go after the birds at the feeder.

My cats are indoor only.

 

[Baja28]

You need to kill it plain and simple. Foxes are why we no longer have quail or whipoorwhil's. Kill it!!

 

[ArkRescue]

You need to kill it plain and simple. Foxes are why we no longer have quail or whipoorwhil's. Kill it!!

I agree with you and I can be tough enough to do it, but how (if it's in the trap cage, assuming it goes in the trap)?

I'm starting to think I need to learn to shoot a rifle next?

 

[Baja28]

I agree with you and I can be tough enough to do it, but how (if it's in the trap cage, assuming it goes in the trap)?

I'm starting to think I need to learn to shoot a rifle next?

If it's in the trap you have it made. Go buy a 12 guage shotgun. You should have one anyway.

 

[ArkRescue]

If it's in the trap you have it made. Go buy a 12 guage shotgun. You should have one anyway.

I would guess they all have a substantial kick to them, and that's why I think I'd end up flat on my back if I shot one lol.

 

[Baja28]

I would guess they all have a substantial kick to them, and that's why I think I'd end up flat on my back if I shot one lol.

My original post had a .410 shotgun but that is too light for a fox. You need a 12 guage. Yes it will kick but vrai shot one so you can too.

 

[ArkRescue]

My original post had a .410 shotgun but that is too light for a fox. You need a 12 guage. Yes it will kick but vrai shot one so you can too.

ok well I'll have to get one of those shoulder pads then.

What would be very smelly and too yummy to pass up for a predator that likes chicken? I have some sardines, canned dog food, tuna fish .... or should I go buy something different to use? The traps I have are meant for cats, so I may need to go get a bigger trap at Tractor Supply today?

I took the day off, so I have all day to work on filling in any gaps in the pen, and to get ready for the hungry chicken killer.

 

[Roman]

Good luck Ark. That's just terrible that you had to see something like that. I know how you LOVE your Chickens. One of our would-be predators, was a neighbor's Beagle. Luckily, she never got in the pen, but we found her collar hanging off the wire of our Coup (Coop?) Let us know what you have decided, and how it is working.

 

[BeenSpur'd]

It could be a possum, sounds like what happened to my chickens. I caught the damn thing in the coop in the morning trying to get out. Got the 22 and had my first kill. I didn't think I could do it until I did. Felt sorta bad but the chicken killing stopped. The possum was killing for the fun of it and didn't eat much of any of them. I patched up the coop and haven't had any deaths since.

 

[ArkRescue]

It could be a possum, sounds like what happened to my chickens. I caught the damn thing in the coop in the morning trying to get out. Got the 22 and had my first kill. I didn't think I could do it until I did. Felt sorta bad but the chicken killing stopped. The possum was killing for the fun of it and didn't eat much of any of them. I patched up the coop and haven't had any deaths since.[/QUOTE

If I had a 22 I'd certainly use it. What I have would be overkill, not to mention would mess up my trap too.

I see several areas where a small critter could squeeze in possibly. but see no hair there. This thing has gotten in 3 times now, so there must be some evidence of where it's getting in, yet I see none. Maybe if we had some sunshine I could see fine hairs better?

If I can set out enough traps, hopefully I can trap it before it goes into the coop.

 

[thurley42]

You better have a big trap.....this came off of a trail cam!

 

[Larry Gude]

If it's in the trap you have it made. Go buy a 12 guage shotgun. You should have one anyway.

Typical Marine; use a sledgehammer when a scalpel is appropriate.

All she needs is a .22 rifle. Stick the barrel in his face. He'll protest allowing you to shoot down the length of his body. Make sure he's dead before you dispose of him.

There is a fox season but, I suspect if he is destroying livestock, DNR is going to be OK about it.

 

[Baja28]

Typical Marine; use a sledgehammer when a scalpel is appropriate.

All she needs is a .22 rifle. Stick the barrel in his face. He'll protest allowing you to shoot down the length of his body. Make sure he's dead before you dispose of him.

There is a fox season but, I suspect if he is destroying livestock, DNR is going to be OK about it.

The shotgun would help if she caught him outside of the trap.

 

[Toxick]

Sounds like the work of El Chupacabra

 

[Larry Gude]

The shotgun would help if she caught him outside of the trap.

If she was comfortable with a 12 gauge, she'd likely have one. Too much gun for her, me thinks. That's not a knock, just a practical observation, and, as such, too much gun, that's dangerous. For her. .20 gauge would be fine if she's planning on getting him in the open but, y'all were talking about cages and most non Marine types would consider keeping the cage as a long term thing and not making it part of the intended shoot-ee.

 

[Baja28]

If she was comfortable with a 12 gauge, she'd likely have one. Too much gun for her, me thinks. That's not a knock, just a practical observation, and, as such, too much gun, that's dangerous. For her. .20 gauge would be fine if she's planning on getting him in the open but, y'all were talking about cages and most non Marine types would consider keeping the cage as a long term thing and not making it part of the intended shoot-ee.

But, but, but spose it's the critter in post 15?