2 Chicken Killed in Two days

[tariqjawed83]

Hi Guys,

My two chickens have been brutally killed in last two days, one was a pretty healthy egg layer

I have 6 feet tall fence, then again 6 feet tall kennel inside the yard, this thing (thinking Bob Cat most likely), coming very clean and snatching the chicken and just outside the yard eating it fully, for one large chicken, I was able to only find head and inner waste, for small chicken wasn't able to find anything but one leg. But lot of feathers in one place exactly.

Wondering what should I do, its all happening at night, exactly three days back I saw this big cat for a second, roaming around my yard at day time, and then quickly disappeared when I saw.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bobcats will hunt during the day. Most predators will. Yours could be something else but a bobcat seems like a real good guess.

Since it is happening at night, I suggest you fix them a very secure place with a top on it to spend the night and lock them in there.

I have no experience trapping bobcat so I'd suggest you do some research on that. Trapping a predator will not totaly absolutely without a doubt protect your chickens, but it will remove a predator that knows where to get a meal.

To make sure it is a bobcat, you might try to get some footprints. You can dig up a piece of ground and rake it smooth where they are likely to walk, or maybe just spread some flour for them to walk in. I don't know what your area looks like so you'll have to use your judgment as to what might work. You have some reasons to strongly suspect a bobcat but trapping will be easier if you are sure of what you are trying to trap.

Good luck! These things are not always easy.

 

[tariqjawed83]

Thanks for the reply,

I found some footprints, any idea?

 

[Ridgerunner]

No I don't recognize that track. It looks fairly small compared to the feathers. You might google a sight that helps you identify the tracks.

 

[Scott H]

Canine, I think. Not feline. Fox climb. Need to put a lid on your run it looks like.

 

[tariqjawed83]

Thanks guys for the response, I put a very good top on it, but this time this predator takes it from the corner of the fence, let me show you the picture





I'm very surprised on it, since I don't think its enough space there to grab but there are some blood spots on that corner; first of that chicken was laying hen 'Americana', I was surprised how it can grabbed from that small place. and the other thing is that this thing is eating up mostly everything except feathers; and more surprisingly eating just next to my home at one particular spot.

Any idea what to do?

Thanks again,

 

[theFox]

Pull troughs are normally the work of a raccoon and it is common to have raccoon prints that don't show all five toes.

 

[tariqjawed83]

Can raccoon eat the full chicken? I don't even see the bones... just the feathers

 

[Scott H]

Can raccoon eat the full chicken? I don't even see the bones... just the feathers

They run in packs. You're going to have to get some smaller gauge wire so the coons can't stick their arms thru it. And maybe start trappin'. We live on a lake and people were feeding them cause they're so darn cute. My neighbor trapped 27 of them in his yard one summer and we haven't had any problems since.

 

[tariqjawed83]

Hi guys,

Finally able to find what's eating my chickens, its big Bob Cat, got three of my chickens, 2 good layers it looks like he/she is unable to do anything rightnow since I have all around hardwire fence and a heavy top.

But she can snatch anybody who is too close to the fence; thinking of putting 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch hardwire on top of existing one.

I saw her one day before the killing started around my yard for a split second during daytime,

now the question is will he/she come during day time to kill as well? so is it dangerous for my daughter to go out during day?