Raccoons killed my two momma hens

[Binos1984]

Last night, before dark, a raccoon came and killed my two momma hens. They were my only two silkie hens and both hatched babies.

So now I have 4 1.5 month old teenagers and 6 3 week old babies that have no mothers, with only my frizzle rooster left.

Has this happened to anyone? What should I do? Who will take care of them?

TIA for your help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry for your loss.

It happens all the time.

You should make sure your birds are secure behind half inch hardware cloth because that coon will be back. If you or someone you know will be able to dispatch the coon, you can trap it. Duke traps sat with marshmallows are affordable and effective. Relocation is both inhumane and usually illegal.

You will take care of them now. If you can integrate them into one brooder with your rooster they should be fine... he might be good to them if he has been with moms and babes. Depends on the roo... but if he escaped unscathed he might be on my cull list for not being protective, depending on age... since it is a behavior that gets better with maturity and lot's of people call their young cockerels rooster.. They are only 3 weeks apart so while it isn't ideal I do it all the time. BY 6 weeks, many of my broody's have booted their babes. But they can still be good huddle buddies for the younger chicks so you may not need to add heat back in for them... how are you daytime and nighttime highs and lows?

Did you see the coon do it?

Your babes will all be upset and mad peeping looking for their mums. But within a day or two they will adjust.

 

[Binos1984]

Thanks for this. I didn't have anything set up with heat this time around because they were hatched and cared for by their mom.

This region currently has an average high of around 25-27 celcius and lows btw 12-15 celcius, so it doesn't get too cold.

My husband didn't see what got them, but he sat outside and watched and two coons came back. So it has to be them.

We usually keep them enclosed but let them out to free range in the afternoon. We are usually outside and around, but happened to be a little too far this time. The roo was found protecting the babies, and has some feathers missing so he definitely fought.

This breaks my heart. Poor mommas, and poor babies.

Again, thx for 6 your advice.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Sorry for your loss.

It happens all the time.

You should make sure your birds are secure behind half inch hardware cloth because that coon will be back. If you or someone you know will be able to dispatch the coon, you can trap it. Duke traps sat with marshmallows are affordable and effective. Relocation is both inhumane and usually illegal.

You will take care of them now. If you can integrate them into one brooder with your rooster they should be fine... he might be good to them if he has been with moms and babes. Depends on the roo... but if he escaped unscathed he might be on my cull list for not being protective, depending on age... since it is a behavior that gets better with maturity and lot's of people call their young cockerels rooster.. They are only 3 weeks apart so while it isn't ideal I do it all the time. BY 6 weeks, many of my broody's have booted their babes. But they can still be good huddle buddies for the younger chicks so you may not need to add heat back in for them... how are you daytime and nighttime highs and lows?

Did you see the coon do it?

Your babes will all be upset and mad peeping looking for their mums. But within a day or two they will adjust.

 

[MROO]

Thanks for this. I didn't have anything set up with heat this time around because they were hatched and cared for by their mom.

This region currently has an average high of around 25-27 celcius and lows btw 12-15 celcius, so it doesn't get too cold.

My husband didn't see what got them, but he sat outside and watched and two coons came back. So it has to be them.

We usually keep them enclosed but let them out to free range in the afternoon. We are usually outside and around, but happened to be a little too far this time. The roo was found protecting the babies, and has some feathers missing so he definitely fought.

This breaks my heart. Poor mommas, and poor babies.

Again, thx for 6 your advice.

We gave our lonely babies a feather duster to huddle under. They darted in and out, just like it was mama hen. Our SSS (Solo Spoiled Silkie) had Mompom - an oversized, fake fur pompom designed for a kid's backpack. He loves it, to this day. At 9 mos, he carries that tattered little thing all over with him and stresses when it disappears into the washer. He is so relieved when it finally reappears that the reunions are almost pathetic... he's so funny!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

That is SO CUTE!

 

[MROO]

That is SO CUTE!

Not when you're trying to get what's left of that silly thing clean without it disintegrating, it's not so cute! I swear, my kids weren't this bad with their own loveys, and I'm doing it for a CHICKEN!
I guess that means he's staying. Herman is the biggest, ugliest, homeliest Silkie chicken on the face of this earth. But we love him!

 

[snow5164]

So sorry for your loss,
You can do this , they need you.
Good advice above and for goodness sake get them a duster and post pictures

 

[lazy gardener]

No rooster can protect the flock after dark. The roo will be just as helpless as the rest of the flock members. The broody hens were killed b/c they were the easiest targets.

The coons will be back. No coop is secure unless all openings that you could push a quarter through are covered with 1/2" welded hdw. cloth.

Moving forward: Make sure your coop and run are secure. Make sure your birds are shut up from BEFORE dark till AFTER sunrise. Coons are also known to hunt during the day, especially when they know where the buffet is. I once had a coon wipe out all but 3 of my birds in a single night. He came back at noon to finish the job. He was met with a lead pill.

If you are in a location where you can shoot a gun, plan to shoot your varmints. If that's not possible, call your ACO officer and find out what your options are.

Your babies are old enough that they do not need a heat source. But, they might benefit from a wool hen or a huddle box. Do a subject search for pertinent threads. I expect your roo will welcome them into his "now depleted" flock.

 

[Folly's place]

Plan to keep your survivors in their safe coop until you've trapped and shot those visiting raccoons, because they will be back to finish off your flock.
No Silkie can fight off a raccoon! These chicks will do fine, and your cockbird will likely 'mother' them very well. Poor little guys!
I free range too, and have more than once lost a bantam hen, and one or two of her chicks, during the day. It's very sad, but having them locked in for months while growing up doesn't seem right to me either. Sometimes it's a very painful trade-off.
Mary