A coon killed 2 of my chickens early this morning.

[Debi214]

My BF had this weird feeling that he needed to check on the chickens at 6 this morning and when he got to the pen he heard something running thru the brush. He came back in the house and woke me to tell me both hens were missing with just some feathers, blood and a shell-less egg by the door that it/they somehow managed to get open

. I searched everywhere for my girls but only found one about 20 feet away in some thick brush. I can't find the other anywhere but then again the brush is loaded with poison ivy. Her head is missing and the chest torn open

. I am pretty sure it was a coon and I am still hoping that the other hen made it out the door and is hiding

.

 

[roosters97]

Do you have a gun?? I'd shoot it (i'd try) lol

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hate coons! I had a cat that got his eye scratched out by one when I was younger. My cat was blind in that eye the rest of his life. His eyeball was literally hanging out. Those critters have some huge claws!

 

[baldie]

Awww, I am sorry for your loss.

 

[joebryant]

Debi214, I really feel sad when I read posts like this. I'm sure that you thought a lot of those two hens, and, like you, I hope that the other hen escaped and will show up later. I have four Orpingtons and two silkies, and I worry about all the predators that could kill them while they're free ranging daily, but it boils down to their being in the run all day and my not worrying or their living free and my worrying.
Please let us know if the other hen lived.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This site might help you identify the culprit. I'd guess raccoon. Good luck with your other hen.

http://osuextra.okstate.edu/pdfs/F-8204web.pdf

 

[Debi214]

Quote:
All I could find for a weapon this morning was an old iron pipe and I would have beat it to smithereens if I had found it's hiding place.

 

[Debi214]

Quote:
They would make quite a ruckus if I didn't let them out to free-range every time they saw me. I have never had any problems except with hawks and I kept those hens in the same enclosure for over a year.

 

[Debi214]

I have looked everywhere and can't find the missing hen - will a coon eat a whole bird?

 

[jobmcd]

I'm sorry to hear of your girls! I, like your bf felt a reason to check on the chickens, I lost one of my pullets the other day to a hawk, had I been out there just 39 sec. sooner it would've never happened. This was literally right outside my front door under a huge blooming cherry tree, never thought this would happen.

Hope you find your other hen!