2 of my hens missing............I found one massacred. UPDATE on pg 3

[CountryMom]

Looks like Coon to me. I have seen that before. Just remember, coons tend to run in family packs and if there is one there are usually others. Once they get started coming for your chickens they will come back until you get rid of them. I must of cleaned out an entire family this past month. Over the years we have seen them do the same thing to our feed stores in the barn (until my FIL secured it better and we hunted them down) and during certain times of the year with our fruit trees. They just make one enormous mess when they move in.

I am so sorry for your loss. Hard with so many including your kitty.

 

[hawtchick]

we are going to try to trap it I guess. At least DH thinks so.

Do any of you think a coon could have gotten my cat??
My DH is also convinced that this can't be a coon b/c he says they don't eat meat or venture out during the day. Boy, for an avid hunter, he has a lot to learn about coons.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I am so sorry , but yes you are 100% correct . I have 2 coops and 3 runs and they are all predator proof and even the yard has electric wire fencing to keep the 2 legget thieves out . #1 . Mine do not or rather CAN NOT free range due to city regulations , BUT even tho I could allow that , I really don't think I would take the chance with the MY SWEETIE PIES OR the investment . We have over 100 head .

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Coons love meat, I see them out in the day, and have been known to kill cats and dogs in the city.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

i believe that it is a coon. i work at a zoo and its the same poop as our coon we have. use wet cat food. it will attract the coon .. well that's what we use. GOOD LUCK! im really sorry for you loss.

 

[joebryant]

Jess, can't imagine how awful you must have felt and still feel. Hope you get over it soon and back to normal. TRULY SORRY!
BTW, just this week my wife and I thought for three days that something had gotten our little silkie chick, and we were devastated. On the third day it was waiting for us beside our front door when we got home late at night.

 

[hawtchick]

Quote:
I can only hope and pray that will be the case for the 2 hens and my kitty.
Thanks everyone.
I will keep updating.

 

[CountryMom]

I trapped a few coons with an egg. I didn't use cat food because I didn't want to catch my own barn kitties (who are deathly afraid of chickens! LOL) I took an egg and cracked just a bit of shell off so there was a hole. Then I put it in as bait of course with the open side up. Worked like a charm. Before I trapped I shot our first coon hanging in the rafters of our coop. It was 7 am and two hens were in pieces left on the coop floor. Not a pretty site.

Coons are preditors both day and night. If it is quiet enough they will be out and about during the day looking for food. I can not tell you how many times I have come across them on horse back in our pastures. There I leave them be, but not if they come up to our home site. Then they go. I remember back in the days when I was young and trapped animals. We never checked our traps until mid morning because a lot of times the coons wouldn't be out until morning time sneaking around.

Good Luck!

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

yeah... i agree with the post above... but i wouldnt kill it... i would release it somewhere else if possible...

 

[Attack Chicken]

It will find it's way back. Trust me. I had a friend let a coon go 20 mils away from her house where it killed 3 of her chickens. In about a week it way back (we knew because we spraypainted its tail)