Any ideas on culprit?

[jolly wattles]

Last night my wife locked the girls in with one still in the nest box laying which is in the coop. This morning she went to go let them out and the one that was in the nest box was dead just out side of the box. Her side and stoMach eaten. Just a few feathers scathered about. None of the other girls were harmed and no evidence of entry. Any ideas what it was? Possum?

 

[lazy gardener]

More info about coop set up: obviously a predator was able to get in. How did the predator do so? Do you use chicken wire, leave pop door open, have any "holes" or rotten/poorly attached siding? Coon, possum, rat...

 

[matmah50]

If there was no evidence of entry you may want to check under the coup and make sure there are no rats or Weasels they can dig from under and fit in the smallest places. Sorry to hear that you lost her.

 

[matmah50]

I have heavy wire under my coup that may be something to consider

 

[Howard E]

Possum or skunk. Set up a live trap outside the coop using cat food for bait.

 

[jolly wattles]

Possum or skunk. Set up a live trap outside the coop using cat food for bait.

Seems to may have been a weasel. I was out of town working and last week wife said she thought she saw a beaver come out of the woods (she's a city girl). Today I had her Google a weasel and she said that's what she saw. I noticed a couple digs around the unsecured run so I think it was getting under the coop ( 8x8 old wood shed) and coming out into the secured run and up the ramp into the coop. Some hardwire cloth installed now and a live trap I put where it was digging under the unsecured run fence. We will see what happens. Thanks for all the advice yall.

 

[Izzychicky]

I’m sorry for your loss

 

[jolly wattles]

Guess it wasn't the weasel.

 

[cbass422407]

Stay vigilant. Where there’s one there’s a hundred more. I’ve been able to thwart the diggers with this set up around the enclosure. Keeps from having to dig down so far if the soil is hard and I don’t think it makes sense to them to start digging 2’ away from where they want to get in. Hope it makes sense.

 

[jolly wattles]

Stay vigilant. Where there’s one there’s a hundred more. I’ve been able to thwart the diggers with this set up around the enclosure. Keeps from having to dig down so far if the soil is hard and I don’t think it makes sense to them to start digging 2’ away from where they want to get in. Hope it makes sense.

The dig area was under the unsecured run which they are monitored. After it got in there it was able to get access under the side of the coop in the unsecured run and come out into the secured run which has access to inside the coop. Hardwire around the bottom of the coop I think has done the trick now.