Another massacre 7 months after the Great chicken massacre of 2019

[chickenpal147]

I had another animal come and kill my chickens. This time it got into the coop through a weak screen that was supposed to be rated for big predators. What ever it was killed 10 of my gorgeous chickens and left me with 2 roosters 2 hens and 2 babies. Whatever it was the dog didn’t hear it and didn’t bark letting us know something was getting in the coop. Which leads me to think it was a bobcat, it could have been a coon but the dog would have told us. We also have a possum in our yard but the chickens sleep way up off the ground so I don’t think it could have been a possum. I’m looking into buying a trail cam to find what it is. But here is a pic of the screen it damaged. Let me know what you guys think would have done this to my poor sweet chickens.

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

Oh no! Did it leave the bodies or take them? Maybe a mink or something could have done it. They kill chickens for fun. This mesh looks weak, replace it with hardware cloth. Hope you are feeling ok, my condolences

 

[chickenpal147]

We don’t have mink/weasel where I live. It did leave the body, which is why I thought it was a raccoon, but every time we had a coon attack they dismembered the body and left them all over the place. What confuses me is that with a raccoon or other animal the dog would have barked but she didn’t. I’m having the screen fixed, when I get it back I’m putting hardware cloth in front of them. I still really wasn’t over the one that happened in November, so when I was cleaning up I was balling my eyes out. I think it’s the most I’ve ever cried over my chickens. Eventually I’ll be ok.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am so so so sorry.... My heart breaks for you...


Get that coop fixed up asap. Whatever it was may come back.

 

[chickenpal147]

I am so so so sorry.... My heart breaks for you...


Get that coop fixed up asap. Whatever it was may come back.

On the plus side it gave me an excuse to order some different breeds of hens, so my 2 roosters don’t beat the living daylights out of my 2 hens.

 

[Aunt Angus]

There is that! I have a mixed flock as well as a list of breeds I plan to add over the next few years.

What breeds???

 

[chickenpal147]

There is that! I have a mixed flock as well as a list of breeds I plan to add over the next few years.

What breeds???

3 Columbian Wyandotte, 4 lakenvelders, 3 Delaware’s, 3 leghorns, and 3 light Brahmas

 

[Howard E]

So were these birds left killed inside and strewn about? Bite marks?

But in addition to that, what you are describing as "screen" seems to be just that......window screen. Almost all determined predators could get past that.....really not much more than a fragile bluff.

Most folks are going to use at least 19 gauge 1/2" hardware cloth, but my personal favorite is 16 gauge 1/2" x 1" welded wire. Nothing short of a bear is going to get past that.

 

[chickenpal147]

So were these birds left killed inside and strewn about? Bite marks?

But in addition to that, what you are describing as "screen" seems to be just that......window screen. Almost all determined predators could get past that.....really not much more than a fragile bluff.

Most folks are going to use at least 19 gauge 1/2" hardware cloth, but my personal favorite is 16 gauge 1/2" x 1" welded wire. Nothing short of a bear is going to get past that.

It looked like they were left right where they were killed. I couldn’t really tell what the wounds looked like, because I was crying so hard and hyperventilating almost as I was cleaning their sad little bodies out from inside the coop.

 

[Howard E]

In that case.....it was likely a dog that killed your birds.