What could have done this?

Hello! I'm posting today because earlier, the hard wear cloth by the window of my coop was bent down like something got in there. All chickens are present, and the only one hen has any injuries (which I think were caused by the broody hen in there, she is very aggressive to other chickens when she leaves the nest. I am going to try and break her.) The injured chicken is missing her flight feathers on one wing.



The thing is, no chickens were killed and the babies (in a seperate hard wear clothed pen with their mother) are fine (knock on wood lol)

They don't seem all that agitated either, which makes me wonder if a predator did this. What should I do for the hen missing her flight feathers? She seems ok other than that.

I doubt the hardware cloth bent itself... I'd find a way to fasten it more securely. You may have had a raccoon in there eating feed. (That doesn't mean he won't try for your chickens later) As far as the hen with missing feathers goes, I doubt you can do much for that. Just wait until she molts and they grow back.

Looks like raccoon. Bird's damage also sounds like racoon. I would say a young inexperienced one. This time of year males are alone and females can have three or more youngsters in training with her.

No one can emphasize enough how strong and determined predators can be. A racoon will systematicly work around with it's paws to find weakness then worry it open enough to get in. I have seen them come back for several night to work staple loose on wire. The neighbor trapped and killed 28 in less than 8 weeks!

A dog can help patrol at night if it won't hurt your birds. Our LGD has access to yard with our birds locked in coop. He does not bother the birds when they are loose in day. He even keeps hawks away!

I would fix torn wire better than it was before. Check your local laws about trapping/transport/killing Set live traps. Bait with vanilla soaked napkin.

If coop has electricity you can use baby monitor to listen. Rig something that makes noise like bells, tin pie pans, etc on the wire and hear visitor as it rips into wire. Before I got first LGD many decades ago I used this method along with geese. At night if anything disturbed geese they raised heck.
Donna in Dandridge, Tennessee

Hmm, that's what I was wondering about I'll keep an extra eye out, I shut the window last night and everything was okay. My dog has access to the coop area, and she is fine with the chickens. The rooster must have fought the raccoon off then.

Thanks guys!