ALL MY CHICKENS ARE DEAD AND GONE

[Quailberries]

Long sorry short, on Wednesday morning one of our trash buckets was tipped over near the coop, and was clearly some sort of animal. We thought it was a possum, who really wouldn’t be able to get to the chickens, but took some new safety precautions regardless.

I woke up today to let them out- and they’re gone. G-O-N-E. I rushed over to the coop, openend it, and there’s just some GLW feathers.

The predator got in via the mesh run attachment, I was an idiot to not think of predator safety there.

Ive heard of predators taking one chicken and leaving, but all four? It’s absurd. What kind of animal do you think it is? There’s no trace of my PR or GLW, and there’s hope they could have just run away, but there’s very little hope.

 

[Quailberries]

Long sorry short, on Wednesday morning one of our trash buckets was tipped over near the coop, and was clearly some sort of animal. We thought it was a possum, who really wouldn’t be able to get to the chickens, but took some new safety precautions regardless.

I woke up today to let them out- and they’re gone. G-O-N-E. I rushed over to the coop, openend it, and there’s just some GLW feathers.

The predator got in via the mesh run attachment, I was an idiot to not think of predator safety there.

Ive heard of predators taking one chicken and leaving, but all four? It’s absurd. What kind of animal do you think it is? There’s no trace of my PR or GLW, and there’s hope they could have just run away, but there’s very little hope.

My yard is surrounded by a picket fence, and there’s no predators holes in sight. The feathers of my Australorp lead to a tree.

This is terrible. Worse than anything I could ever have imagined. I just want a body.

 

[50-45-1]

Tipped over trash bucket...coon
Sorry about your chickens.
Concider setting up your coop so they are locked up tight at night. With a chicken door that is automatically or manually opened and closed.
How big were your chickens?

 

[Quailberries]

Almost 10 and 12 weeks old. Just starting to make “grown-up lady” noises.

The coop WAS closed, just not coon-proof, I guess. There was a small crack in the coop door that I guess the.animal found and pushed their way through.

 

[MelissaRose]

Sorry for your losses!

Accidents happen, don't beat yourself up about it. I did something similar once....it happens to all of us.

 

[mdquilts]

I’m sorry for your losses! I am new to chickens and am constantly worried that I haven’t done enough to prevent predators for our 14 week old girls.

 

[Cryss]

I'm so sorry. This is a most horrible way to learn what doesn't work.

Use 1/2 inch hardware cloth instead of the mesh. Use it also to make a 2-3 foot apron around the run, especially the corners. Raccoons will dig under a fence but the apron discourages them. Foxes too. Maybe put strong locks with caribineers on the coop.

I hope you can start again. Maybe you will find a chicken hiding somewhere.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. Most chicken owners will loose a bird or birds to predators at one time or other. Lessons learned. Hopefully you can start again. If you have a game camera, put it up because most likely the predator will be back, probably a coon. Here we have mostly coyotes. My coops and pens are like Fort Knox but I have lost birds in the past to predators. Not long ago I lost a very special hen to a fox during the middle of the day. I cried like a baby. Good luck...
Last nights visitor.

 

[Chebird]

I am so sorry for your loss - heartbreaking

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Many of us have learned the hard way about predators, it's awful. Rebuild your coop and run to be safer, and do try again.
All the best,
Mary