Back to back hen deaths in 24 hours

[tishabel]

Weasels usually eviserate and often more than 1 at a time. It could also be a rat. Periodically I sadly find 1 like that of mine and I know I hat a rat issue I am trying to get under control, so I guessing rat. Good luck and so sorry for your loss...

 

[damnyankie]

Hello everyone,

We're in NH. So this morning my poor husband discovered one of our original hens (2 years old) dead in the chicken run, right under the hanging waterer. She was on her side, had no noticeable wounds other than some reddish marks on her neck. My husband assumed it was from the other hens pecking her after she died.

Since we haven't seen any signs of disease or sickness, I brushed it off as maybe a sudden death type thing, heart attack or what have you. I have no reason to think she was egg bound as we had just gotten an egg from her the previous day.

Cut to this evening, my husband goes outside with the dogs and the dogs act interested in the chicken run, something they don't usually do. On inspection my husband finds 4 hens (out of 9 chickens, the rest were in the coop) still out in the run, on a perch we have out there. And, surprise, another dead hen. This time one of our <1 year olds. She too was on her side, red marks on neck (looked like pecks) but no more signs of wounds. There was however a small pool of blood and some random blood splatter.

So, I know weasels could be a possibility...our run is heavily secured against bigger predators, but not weasels. This to me lines more up with why some of the hens were acting funny and not going into the coop. I know they can kill for sport, but I've never had a predator kill just 1 hen at a time, and not take at least a bite out of them. But the other thought my husband had was that a few weeks ago a wind storm had broken a mirror we had outside (a relic from a failed attempt at trying to get guineas to stay in the yard.) And he wonders if maybe some of the glass had gotten into the run, and maybe the hens had found it after this recent thaw and ate it. I would think they would act weird, at the very least, before just dropping dead from something like that.

If anyone has had an experience that is familiar to this, let me know. I appreciate any insight.

 

[damnyankie]

We lost our 8 chickens to the same type of attack and a glimpse of the animal it was a mink

 

[sfcDonL]

Could be an opossum. Hardware mesh is not cheap. Weasels can squeeze thru a 1" hole. Make an 8X8 1/2" hardware cloth enclosure with roosts for night time safety, including the bottom. Put linoleum on the floor and some hay or wood chips to prevent leg/toe injuries.
https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chicken-coops-housing/what-killed-my-chicken/

 

[roosterhavoc]

Does anyone actually read threads anymore? The OP caught the weasel already.

 

[woodmort]

you could put chicken wire on the ground, it will protect from all unwanted guests.

Chicken wire won't keep out rats, weasels or mink. Plus it doesn't last more than a couple of years until it rusts away. Half-inch, galvanized hardware cloth, while it is more expensive, is more effective.

 

[Kris5902]

Chicken wire won't keep out rats, weasels or mink. Plus it doesn't last more than a couple of years until it rusts away. Half-inch, galvanized hardware cloth, while it is more expensive, is more effective.

agree completely!!!
The only downside to the 1/2” is that it’s a little lightweight for bigger animals. if I had to deal with serious predators like coyotes, raccoons, large/largish wild cats, dogs, fishercats, or such... I’d want it reinforced by heavier fencing on a run, or use it as an additional layer over plywood/siding on a coop at lower levels or anywhere a predator can get leverage on it. The joins of the wire can break fairly easily.

 

[woodmort]

You're right, especially on an outside run, heavy welded wire would be best but hard to find with small openings and is a bear to string. Especially if you're working by yourself. I'm redoing the inside of my coop by using 1/2 inch hardware cloth sandwiched between two layers of quarter inch plywood. Figure it will keep anything from gnawing through--including mice. It's expensive but rats, as I posted elsewhere, got into the walls from below the coop and opened holes under the litter. Then the weas
el and mink got in.

 

[Kris5902]

Our feed storage area of the barn is built like that... but with a concrete floor with a 6” lip. The bottom foot is also protected by sheet metal scraps from roofing, the doors are extremely tightly fitted as well

 

[Treatment Guy]

Hello everyone,

We're in NH. So this morning my poor husband discovered one of our original hens (2 years old) dead in the chicken run, right under the hanging waterer. She was on her side, had no noticeable wounds other than some reddish marks on her neck. My husband assumed it was from the other hens pecking her after she died.

Since we haven't seen any signs of disease or sickness, I brushed it off as maybe a sudden death type thing, heart attack or what have you. I have no reason to think she was egg bound as we had just gotten an egg from her the previous day.

Cut to this evening, my husband goes outside with the dogs and the dogs act interested in the chicken run, something they don't usually do. On inspection my husband finds 4 hens (out of 9 chickens, the rest were in the coop) still out in the run, on a perch we have out there. And, surprise, another dead hen. This time one of our <1 year olds. She too was on her side, red marks on neck (looked like pecks) but no more signs of wounds. There was however a small pool of blood and some random blood splatter.

So, I know weasels could be a possibility...our run is heavily secured against bigger predators, but not weasels. This to me lines more up with why some of the hens were acting funny and not going into the coop. I know they can kill for sport, but I've never had a predator kill just 1 hen at a time, and not take at least a bite out of them. But the other thought my husband had was that a few weeks ago a wind storm had broken a mirror we had outside (a relic from a failed attempt at trying to get guineas to stay in the yard.) And he wonders if maybe some of the glass had gotten into the run, and maybe the hens had found it after this recent thaw and ate it. I would think they would act weird, at the very least, before just dropping dead from something like that.

If anyone has had an experience that is familiar to this, let me know. I appreciate any insight.