PREDATOR killed my chickens

ArkRescue

ArkRescue

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cricketmd said:
I know where you are coming from. Many times over the years, I've had same thing. You think things are normal when you go out, then you go to let them out of the coop and see nothing but carnage. You're heart feels like its been kicked and your gut feels like it just dropped to the floor. *hugs* Its not a good feeling when you raise pet poultry! Good luck!! It can can only get better from here! :huggy: I'll be thinking of you and your pet chickens tonight!!
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I stayed near the coop until about 9pm then headed inside - figured it won't come with me standing guard. So I checked all the traps and the coop at 10:30 - nothing.

And then there were 8 ......

5am I go out and find 2 cats in traps and 1 more dead chicken in the coop. So it bypassed the baited traps for fresh chicken. It got her off the roosting shelf (only white chicken I had) and dragged her near the front of the coop to kill/eat her. I Removed her body (pullet) and there in the pile of feathers was an egg she laid. I can't eat or sell that egg - sounds weird but I just can't knowing she was being killed or was dead when that egg came out of her :bawl: .

I have lost count now of how many chickens this predator has killed, but I think we are up to 9 chickens now in less then 2 weeks. In that pen there are 8 left (have 5 others in a different location).

So my plan of attack today is to again look for signs of the entry point and move the chickens to cages in the shed for the night and put the baited trap cages inside and outside the coop.

I let the cats go, 1 seemed like it was domestic and the other acted feral.
 
wch

wch

New Member
You know my cousin had the same problem, he was losing chickens and finding their parts around the pen,Put up a trail cam and also set traps around the area, the trail cam showed a Raccoon was the culprit, and would find a weaknesss in the chicken wire and then reach in and pull one out, clever things they are, it would avoid the traps with sardines and tuna fish, just to get the fresh meat, it took awhile but we finally found his access points and closed them off
 

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ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
wch said:
You know my cousin had the same problem, he was losing chickens and finding their parts around the pen,Put up a trail cam and also set traps around the area, the trail cam showed a Raccoon was the culprit, and would find a weaknesss in the chicken wire and then reach in and pull one out, clever things they are, it would avoid the traps with sardines and tuna fish, just to get the fresh meat, it took awhile but we finally found his access points and closed them off
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Can't wait to catch whatever it is. I saved a section of feathers from last nights attack that were torn off with flesh attached and put it inside a trap that I will use tonight. Note sure if I want to put that trap inside the coop or outside?

I am baffled as to how the predator is getting in! I was looking for clues like footprints or fur stuck somewhere that it is squeezing in.
 
J

jedi2814

New Member
ArkRescue said:
Can't wait to catch whatever it is. I saved a section of feathers from last nights attack that were torn off with flesh attached and put it inside a trap that I will use tonight. Note sure if I want to put that trap inside the coop or outside?

I am baffled as to how the predator is getting in! I was looking for clues like footprints or fur stuck somewhere that it is squeezing in.
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You won't catch a raccoon or a fox in those traps -- they are too smart. Foxes kill everything though and then pick one to eat so it is probably a possum or a raccoon. Possums are stupid nasty animals and you should be able to catch it if that is the culprit. Raccoons you almost have to catch in the act. You are supposed to call DNR and get a license number to trap nuisance animals. It's just a phone call and they give you a number. Keeps you out of trouble and you can dispose of the animal however you see fit. Otherwise there's a fine if they catch you. Just another tax really but it only takes a minute to get the license number. Check their website for the contact info, I don't have it handy. Split the difference with the shotgun and get a 20g. That'll take care of whatever you need and doesn't have a bad kick. I prefer a .410 but if you want to be sure to only have to shoot once go with a 20g.
 
ArkRescue

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jedi2814 said:
You won't catch a raccoon or a fox in those traps -- they are too smart. Foxes kill everything though and then pick one to eat so it is probably a possum or a raccoon. Possums are stupid nasty animals and you should be able to catch it if that is the culprit. Raccoons you almost have to catch in the act. You are supposed to call DNR and get a license number to trap nuisance animals. It's just a phone call and they give you a number. Keeps you out of trouble and you can dispose of the animal however you see fit. Otherwise there's a fine if they catch you. Just another tax really but it only takes a minute to get the license number. Check their website for the contact info, I don't have it handy. Split the difference with the shotgun and get a 20g. That'll take care of whatever you need and doesn't have a bad kick. I prefer a .410 but if you want to be sure to only have to shoot once go with a 20g.
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I've caught many a raccoon in traps. Opossums too. Raccoons will damage the trap trying to get out though. I have never caught a fox in a trap though. I'll call DNR right away.

I really WANT this predator BAD. If I have to I'll take into the woods and put a 380 in it.
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

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DNR won't give me permission to trap it unless I KNOW what kind of animal it is. Oh well, I tried to do it right way.
 
idiganthro

idiganthro

Member
Get a 20 gauge. Will do the job with less kick. You can get target loads. I suspect a raccoon or a fox. So sorry for your loss. I've had it happen and, of course, to the sweetest most friendly chicken I had. I've also had to put a couple out of their misery due to illness. All of which stinks, but it's just part of it.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
itsbob said:
I KNEW we were going to rue the day the UAVs showed up.
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Obama musta declared them chickens to be al quedas and who done posed an imminent threat AND were unlikely to be able to be captured in addition to a presidential finding that the coop was not US turf.

:jameo:
 
ArkRescue

ArkRescue

Adopt me please !
idiganthro said:
Get a 20 gauge. Will do the job with less kick. You can get target loads. I suspect a raccoon or a fox. So sorry for your loss. I've had it happen and, of course, to the sweetest most friendly chicken I had. I've also had to put a couple out of their misery due to illness. All of which stinks, but it's just part of it.
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Thanks, I know, so I'm trying to be tough about it - did what I had to do to end Darla's suffering. Just did hours of reinforcement with 1" hardware cloth (why do they call it that when it's metal not cloth?) and I was able to close in several small gaps.
 
E

EmptyTimCup

Guest
Katelin said:
Opossums have 3 points of defense....
1. Open mouth and hiss and fluff up tongue, meant to scare you off..It is showing you its BIG teeth, all 50 of them!
2. Excrete green, nasty smelling liquid from anal glands..it smells so bad, you, the predator, wont eat it.
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sounds like a Ferret
 
mitzi

mitzi

Well-Known Member
When we had chickens, our culprit was racoons. We caught several of them in the traps over a period of time.
 
itsbob

itsbob

I bowl overhand
Larry Gude said:
Obama musta declared them chickens to be al quedas and who done posed an imminent threat AND were unlikely to be able to be captured in addition to a presidential finding that the coop was not US turf.

:jameo:
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DAMN, beat me to it!!
 
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