Beware Of Polecats

[MayTheChickenLover]

I did not know that polecats lived in South Devon until recently, when 2 of my relatively new chickens (Enid and Saucepan , named by my younger sister) got killed by one when sleeping in the coop. We know it was polecat as one had been sighted the previous night in our village and also a fox couldn't have got them (the polecat we think got through a small hole in the coop, too small for a fox). Now each night, we let our chickens roost high in the trees: they're much happier there and safer we think, as they climb about three meters up trees. Since the incident, they've completely abandoned the coop, which is open to them at any time and now very secure.

RIP ENID AND SAUCEPAN

 

[casportpony]

Oh no, so sorry for your loss.

 

[hayley3]

Sadly without an eyewitness, you really don't know what killed them, a previous sighting does not mean it was the killer of your chickens.
I'm assuming you are in England. Surely you have other predators that makes it unsafe for your chickens to be roosting overnight in a tree.

 

[TwistedSteel]

They will probably be ok until the owls show up for dinner.

 

[MayTheChickenLover]

According to Wiki, they're slightly different.

 

[RobertaD1]

 

[RobertaD1]

Round here... polecat is a skunk

 

[RobertaD1]

Closest thing we have are minks.... not a fan of those either...
Husband didnt even know there were minks in the area! One got our rooster some years back.... then, husband shot the mink while it was trapped under his reloading shed..... (reloading shed-for those who dont know is a building the husband keeps and reloads ammunition..... and he shot a gun underneath it.... I know, I know)
But, he explained it away that if something was tough enough to kill that mean old rooster... it had to die.
Some days I wonder...... LOL

 

[Sequel]

I’m so sorry!

 

[MayTheChickenLover]

They will probably be ok until the owls show up for dinner.

We don't have large chicken eating owls in England! In fact, no birds of prey have ever been known to harm any chickens in my local area.