Four 12 wk old Red Star pullets found dead

[KatD]

Coop got left open last night. This morning the side door to the roost was open. I'm not sure if the barrel latched had been properly closed or not. I'm concerned that it may have been correctly latched and considering installing an additional latch.

. This is how I found it. Warning dead bird pictures to follow. I found two in the coop w crop and head gone. One skull. That points to raccoon but what follows is a mystery to me. One wing in coop, one on the ground behind the coop and a lower half between a feeding shelter and fence. The head breast and belly was missing. Graphic image follows.

. One bird dead on the ground in a puddle w no wound. He probably drown in a struggle. The two survivors were hiding behind feed cans.

[/IMG]. The predators came through the overhead chicken wire gap over the run. No dig ins. Does anyone know what killed the bird that was torn apart w missing head and torso? And does anyone believe barrel locks are accessible by coons?

 

[bobbi-j]

I believe coons could do that. I used to have a rabbit hutch that my OEGB would sleep in, it had a similar latch. Then I started finding the hutch open in the morning (at first I thought the kids were forgetting to latch it after evening choes) and bird would be missing. I finally figured out that it was coons. Their little "hands" are very agile. At a state park we camped at once, we went for a walk in the evenings when the coons would come out and I watched them manipulate Tupperware containers to open and get the food out of them. It was fascinating what they could do.

 

[NEChickenNoob]

Get a lock on it! Coons can't pick locks.