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My husband spotted a weasel running behind coop yesterday afternoon. Five fingers, small punctures on surviving victim and tiny size of hole in fence make me think this is the culprit. I'm surprised it could carry off chicken but maybe that's why we have survivors with only bites- because it had...

Just thought I'd update that everyone's suggestions have kept the culprit away- no more injuries or losses and the girls have been free ranging early evenings again (with the German Shepherd). Thank you to everyone for the great ideas!

First night in the coop for miss Flo. Thank you for all the support that got us to this point. Chickens are miraculous healers! The defect is 50% contracted and callused enough to be with her friends again :)

Claw marks suggest 1 trip up to roof and repeated scratching from above at precise area where roof, corner of coop/foam, and chicken wire met. This leads me to believe marks are from guilty party who pried wire off coop. We are not on good terms with neighbor. She has screamed drunken...

I will skip trap and try to encourage voluntary movement to more hospitable areas. My husband cut tree limbs and mowed down grass on back of run that borders on woods. He's going to knock down building and disturb den/foundation with tractor loader this weekend and put up fencing so our sheep...

Thank you so much for latch recommendations. So far, my changes have deterred the attacker. My dog and husband both accidentally got zapped by the fence and it definitely works because my dog cannot be bribed in any way to go within 50 feet of coop and has been cowering since. The kencove...

My updates: Found more remains in area with lots of feces with berries in it. On neighbor's property line at step to abandoned shed. Her perfect head and feet were left intact with spine and a few tail feathers. Everything else including most feathers eaten. My dog chased my neighbors cat away...

These are claw marks on foam near opening. My husband had thrown on extra insulation the weekend it was negative 15 this winter.

Found this hole 4 feet from coop. Same size as hole in wire. Was on vacation for a week and got back yesterday. Did not walk backside of run yesterday and I'm sure pet sitter did not either last week. Must be new in past week. We have groundhogs and that was my first thought but could it be...

I'm not sure if it was pulled apart or just pushed out in a perfect circle by the exiting offender and my huge chicken. Anyone have experience using geese to protect flocks? My mother used them when we were young to guard ducks and said they were great. Less risk to 2 year old eyes than rooster.

All attacked chickens are in nesting boxes and broody. Is that a clue?

Found our first dead chicken today when we opened the coop. Someone pulled chicken wire apart at a seam approximately 4 feet up. Small claw marks seen in a strip of foam adjacent to area (will try to get pictures if helps)- cat diameter or slightly larger. Not sure if attack happened between...

We were on vacation for a week and just got back. She is doing great. I want to reintroduce her but she has a large 2" by 1" scab over the wound. I put her in an adjacent enclosure to be near her friends yesterday. I think maggots are unlikely with the scab but I am worried her friends are going...

She's stronger every day. Today she dug up and ate a grub and enjoyed a dust bath with her sister and cousin. Wound got flushed because of dust but no maggots and no odor. She won't eat or drink from me now so I think she's using her regular bowls. All on the up as far as I can tell. Thank you...

Thank you for all who have chimed in. Wound has been maggot free. During her visiting hours at the coop I shoo all flies and overly doting hens away. I haven't tried dressing the wound yet. She seems bored of scrambled eggs today but she might be eating on her own. I was at work and she was...

She's decided to live I think. Horrible odor improved and only 2 maggots seen today. Your scrambled egg suggestion saved her life I think. So far, this is the only thing she'll eat (hand fed of course) but she's producing droppings again and when I give her brief outings with her friends, she's...

I found my one year old hen stumbling into the coop last night after a day free ranging. Something tried to bite off her neck and succeeded in removing the top 50% of the skin from the base of her skull down to back/wings. The wound has a deep pocket to one side and had fly eggs in it. She's...

Your welcome. My Daisy is all hen. Hope this helps further.

Yeah, I caved and gave mine a heat light that kept the coop in single digits overnight and 20s during the day Sunday. They seemed annoyed with the light disruption in the coop and leapt out of the nesting boxes when I tried to keep them in Sunday so I think the cold bothered me much more than...