1 single hen dead each morning - may not be a predator?

[mxracer4life]

Before I get into my problem I am experiencing, here is a little bit of info to help you understand the situation. I recently became an owner of a new home which to my suprise had a flock of chickens (32), roosters (5) ducks (4), geese (2) and turkeys (5), about 48 birds total. All get along really well, are free range most of the day then have 2 different coops to sleep in each night. There is one coop meant more for the larger birds and the other coop is meant for the smaller birds - but for the most part, the entire flock is cooped together at night and has been this way for the last year. When we first moved in, we had some hens die, only missing there head. When I first found some hens missing there heads, I didn't know what was going on. Come to find out, there was a hole torn in the chicken wire that was about the size of a softball, my best estimate is a mink since weasles are kinda rare here in Southern IL. So I invested my time and money in sealing each coop like a prison - walls are in the ground 1ft around, with wire to keep from digging, all new interior walls (plywood), windows have 3 layers of wire (2''x4" welded and 1'' chicken wire) and there is a "pen" that now connects both coops together, which is top to bottom enclosed. The pen is used for when it is stormy or during the winter. So its been since this spring that any of my hens were killed. 1 week ago, I found 2 hens in there nest dead, both appeared to have died from egg laying as there was blood from there cloaca and there was no physical damage to them. Then the next morning is when I found a hen dead with her head missing, no feathers anywhere, no blood, just the head missing. Next morning a half eaten hen, feathers everwhere. Since these 2 hens were found, I have lost 1 hen every evening, including this morning. Total of 7 hens now gone. Last night I locked every bird up in the main coop - still had 1 hen dead. Am I missing something here? Can a turkey be taking the heads? Rooster? To me it sounds like a mink again, but don't they usually kill more than 1 at a time? No holes dug anywhere. Windows and doors fit snug. Any help would be great.

Jeremy

 

[thebanthams]

depending what kind of wild life you have in your area can do this, foxes? you mention minks, racoons ,weasles etc . you are going to have to fix better fenceing around it to protect them.

 

[mxracer4life]

For the most part, opossum, raccoon, mink and skunk is what I will have problems with. Foxes and coyotes don't come close to my area. How much more can I add? The coop is built like a shed, all walls, ceiling and floor is made with plywood, windows and pen area are covered with 3 layers of fencing, base layer is 2 x 4 welded wire, then there is 2 layers of 1'' chicken wire - all wire is attached to 2x4'' boards. I own ferrets, so I know how small of a hole they can get it. I guess it is always possible for me to be missing something, but I am just curious if any of the other birds, rooster, turkey etc can do this? I forgot to mention that earlier this year when I lost some hens, they were piled up together with no heads. I have a trap I keep setting up every once in a while and I catch opposums and skunks like crazy.

 

[Reurra]

Minks can crawl into very very small openings. They can come through wire really easy. Their heads are very thin and no wider than their bodies. I would get some 1/2 in x 1/2 inch wire mesh to cover the coop. In some regions the minks can be no longer than 6 inches. They might even be nesting inside the coop somehwere, like the rafters. I would give it a thorough inspection top to bottom in every nook and cranny. Rats can be the same too. They have narrow heads and bodies for fitting though tight spaces. If the feed is Kept in the barn, it can attract rodents. Secure the food and inspect for droppings.

On the other hand, when I was a kid, we inherited rabbits when we bought a house. There were sooooo many of them. It was very crowded and as a result they cannibalized eachother.

You mentioned some birds had blood on their back ends. I would get some corrid jsut to be sure its not coccidiosis. Its a nasty disease that can kill suddenly and is contageous. Chances are though with older birds it my not be what it is. Still safer than sorry, especially with so many birds living in the area.

Good luck!

 

[mxracer4life]

I never thought of them being in the rafters or even nesting in them. The blood I mentioned was accompanied by an egg half way coming out, hopefully it has nothing to do with a disease. The mink that was spotted earlier this year was bigger than a ferret, very dark in color. They tend to be pretty big from what I hear the local trappers talk about. We have a creek about an 1/8th mile away too. Can rats take down a full size hen and eat just the head? There was 2 holes in the concrete that I just stuffed large rocks into, the hole sized were about base ball size, looked like a 2x4 board was set in the concrete than later pulled out.

 

[Reurra]

Yes a rat can kill a chicken. I know it sounds wild, but it can happen. Pine martins are very tiny too. Anything in the rodent family is a culprit. Like I said, inspect everything possible. Use a good strong light too.

 

[thebanthams]

why not set traps out side of fence and see what you caught?

 

[mxracer4life]

I have a trap I keep setting up every once in a while and I catch opposums and skunks like crazy.

I have been. But never tried to trap for rats. The trap I use now is kinda big, but it came with a small trap that I have never used. Whats the best thing to put in there to try and trap a rat?

 

[Reurra]

Well, it seems the creature likes meat. Get some really cheap steak maybe cut it up and put that in the trap? Might work. Who knows, I hope you catch the little buggers though!

 

[chickens & dogs]

I would not rule out the turkey.One of my turkeys killed two of my other turkeys and there was pretty much nothing left to the heads.I know it was the turkey because he was eating them when i walked in the coop,he killed them 2 weeks apart.And he killed one on my door step.