Any guess on what caused this loss??

[flyin-lowe]

I lost 6 of my 10 hens over night last night to a predator. They had been cooped up for a couple days because I sprayed some round up on the other side of my house last week. I always leave them in until several rains. This morning I found the coop door unlatched and open. So I ether did not have it latched all the way, or something was able to pry on it to get it open. Either way access was gained. There is no real signs of a struggle inside the coop or run. The hens were scattered all over my yard, not pulled to one "den" or location. Some of them were completely gone except a pile of feathers. One was dead with no obvious injuries and a couple had their insides eaten completely out with the heads, wings, etc. still intact. Basically looks like someone cut open their stomachs and removed their insides. All of them were found within 100 feet or so of the coop. Does this sound like a coyote, fox, or something else?? I live out in the country in Indiana so I have coyotes, hawks, coons, possoms, skuns, weasels, you name it. Seems to me like it would have been something larger to eat several of them unless it was a couple of foxes???
Any guesses??

 

[HuffleClaw]

Hmmm I’m not sure but hopefully someone that comes along will...

It would be interesting to find out though.


I’m so so so sorry about your hens!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Raccoon... can open latches when not secondarily secured and travel in family groups.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Raccoon... can open latches when not secondarily secured and travel in family groups.

Sorry for your loss.

I’m glad someone was able to answer @flyin-lowe

 

[coach723]

Raccoons are very good at opening all kinds of latches. All of mine are latches like these:
Locked closed with these:

For smaller openings I've used these:

 

[True Patriot]

Without seeing photos of the scene and damage all I can do is speculate on the description given. Raccoon is a distinct possibility. Another possibility is a badger. Just as strong as raccoons with a heartier appetite. The manner of damage you described is not stereotypical for raccoons that I've seen. Though entirely possible. I have seen badger kills with the body contents removed as described. A badger would also be large enough to carry off the missing birds. Trail cameras can be found relatively cheap on the internet and are invaluable in situations like this.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Badgers are about the only thing I don’t have around...

 

[Patinas]

That seems like a lot of kills for one raccoon but it's possible. I agree that raccoons are very good with latches.

The other possibility is a possum. If the latch wasn't secured, I've heard possums will kill everything in the coop and not eat on all of them.

What doesn't sound right is the fact that whatever killed them dragged them out of the coop so I don't think a raccoon or a possum would drag that many that far. I also don't think a lone raccoon or possum would eat that much on that many chickens.

That leaves coyote, fox, bobcat or wandering dog in my opinion.

Regardless of what got them, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I've had one hen completely disappear with no signs of what happened to her and one killed by a coyote and one that just suddenly died. Each time it is so upsetting to lose one so I can't imagine losing 6 and one time.

If it were me, I'd put up a game camera because they say predators will keep coming back to coop at night as long as there are still hens to be had. I certainly would want to know what is hunting my hens.

 

[True Patriot]

Badgers are about the only thing I don’t have around...

They have been expanding their territory. I would continue to pursue other options but I would not dismiss the possibility.
https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3384.htm

 

[flyin-lowe]

I’m wandering if something didn’t get the door open and maybe the hens spooked and ran out. It was the run door that was open. When I opened the coop I expected to see chaos in there but everything looked normal. No sign that they were killed in there. Almost like they got flushed out and were then hunted down. Kind of odd because I do have a lot of trees and brush around, I assume if they were flushed out in the dark they would have been able to take cover, but who knows