3 Gone in the Night Conroe, TX

[Patchofheaven]

We had 12 chickens until this morning...
I went to feed this morning and found 1 scared chicken running loose outside of their fenced yard and feathers everywhere. My oldest son followed the feathers into the woods and found 1 of the carcasses - he couldn't find the other 2 missing (presumed dead) chickens.

I'm so upset about this, but I guess it could have been alot worse. We think that it must have been a coon. Right now our plans are to lock the chickens in the coop at night and set a trap for the coon (or whatever did this to my babies.) We wish we had the money right now to cover and enclose the 20 ft x 30 ft fenced yard, but unfortunately we don't.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Sorry. Sounds like something larger than a 'coon to me.

 

[BeckyLa]

I am so sorry. Since one was outside the pen, the two missing could be out in the woods scared and may come home at roosting time. Were they locked up for the night? Did the preditor get into the coop or just the run? I hope they come home and that you catch the culprit.

 

[Patchofheaven]

The fencing was (chicken wire) was pulled up on one end and there were lots of scratch/dig marks all around that area. It also looks like whatever got in there climbed out with the chicken, because the feathers are all over the top of the fence. My son said that the tracks by the carcass looked like a small dog print, but then when I showed him what coon prints look like he said that it looked like the coon print. I don't want to go look, I'm waiting for my husband to get home to go varify and maybe look for the other 2 also.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Could a coon have carried off more than one hen? Maybe it was a couple. Or maybe the poster above is correct: he just got one and the others simply got out the same way he got in.

 

[BeckyLa]

Since you know it was a coon the other two still could be scared and in the woods somewhere. Ask your son if the tracks were all the same size. If they are different sizes then you're dealing with a family of coons and 3 might have been taken. Were the birds locked in the coop? Did the coon break into your coop?

 

[Patchofheaven]

We have never had to lock our chickens in the coop until now - I don't think we have ever had to shut the doors. But we will from now on or at least until we can afford to cover the yard. Hubby says that when he gets home we will put boards along the bottom of the fence for now anyway.

 

[Patchofheaven]

Well, I couldn't wait any longer so my son and I went looking for the other 2 chickens. We found one more, not far from the one my son found this morning. I'm almost certain it was a coon or many coons - there are trails of chicken feathers from there yard that almost brought us straight to the carcasses. I still have not found the last one. I have not given hope completely that it might be alive, I didn't see her feathers anywhere except for the coop area, so just maybe she is scared and hiding. I'll keep you posted - Thank you for all of the advice.

 

[MandyH]

We have so many predators around here that have eaten our chickens I am good at telling what did it. Usually a possum will eat its inards and leave the rest. A dog or coyote will eat everything and all you will see is feathers. Possums can climb and dig so very well carrying something its own size. Set a trap because they will be back until the chickens are gone.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Kristen,

I lost three last year to something that simply took the heads. Any ideas?