Bobcat wipes out my entire flock in 2 hours

[joe12pack]

Long story.. but I was away on vacation for 3 weeks and had someone chicken-sit for me. One of the doors in the rear of the coop was some how opened by the chickens (probably one of the chickens fell off a perch and in trying to hang on put pressure on the door and popped the latch and opened the door). The door remained wide open for 3 days/nights as the chicken sitter didn't notice. It's like leaving your front door wide open in Oakland, CA. Something bad is guaranteed to happen. I am surprised how smart this bobcat is in coming back and again and again to finish each and every one of them. All the chickens were left in one neat pile.

When I returned 3 days after this happened I noticed some noises coming outside my bedroom window at 3am. I turned on my flashlight and I could see the bobcat eating one of the hens (at very end of video). My chickensitter had already told me about my chickens being wiped out so it didn't come as a complete surprise.

Very sad as some of the hens have been with me for 8 years.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

This is freaking horrible! I am so sorry for that. It is an amazing video you caught all that.
I am always afraid of leaving my animals in someone else care. So Very sorry for your loss.

 

[centrarchid]

Long story.. but I was away on vacation for 3 weeks and had someone chicken-sit for me. One of the doors in the rear of the coop was someone opened by the chickens (probably one of the chickens fell off a perch and in trying to hang on put pressure on the door and popped the latch and opened the door). The door remained wide open for 3 days/nights as the chicken sitter didn't notice. It's like leaving your front door wide open in Oakland, CA. Something bad is guaranteed to happen. I am surprised how smart this bobcat is in coming back and again and again to finish each and every one of them. All the chickens were left in one neat pile.

When I returned 3 days after this happened I noticed some noises coming outside my bedroom window at 3am. I turned on my flashlight and I could see the bobcat eating one of the hens (at very end of video). My chickensitter had already told me about my chickens being wiped out so it didn't come as a complete surprise.

Very sad as some of the hens have been with me for 8 years.

THAT IS NOT A BOBCAT! Possibly way more cool. It is BOBCATS?



My bad, glitches in video. Cat moves fat enough to leave two images.

 

[centrarchid]

Critter at very end is a Coyote carrying off a chicken carcass. Your account is very cool. Tighten up you protection system and better experiences wished for future.

 

[Care for chicks]

Long story.. but I was away on vacation for 3 weeks and had someone chicken-sit for me. One of the doors in the rear of the coop was someone opened by the chickens (probably one of the chickens fell off a perch and in trying to hang on put pressure on the door and popped the latch and opened the door). The door remained wide open for 3 days/nights as the chicken sitter didn't notice. It's like leaving your front door wide open in Oakland, CA. Something bad is guaranteed to happen. I am surprised how smart this bobcat is in coming back and again and again to finish each and every one of them. All the chickens were left in one neat pile.

When I returned 3 days after this happened I noticed some noises coming outside my bedroom window at 3am. I turned on my flashlight and I could see the bobcat eating one of the hens (at very end of video). My chickensitter had already told me about my chickens being wiped out so it didn't come as a complete surprise.

Very sad as some of the hens have been with me for 8 years.

I am so sorry, that is so horrible! I hope you will be bobcat free after that. Again I am so so sorry for your losses

 

[Care for chicks]

Long story.. but I was away on vacation for 3 weeks and had someone chicken-sit for me. One of the doors in the rear of the coop was someone opened by the chickens (probably one of the chickens fell off a perch and in trying to hang on put pressure on the door and popped the latch and opened the door). The door remained wide open for 3 days/nights as the chicken sitter didn't notice. It's like leaving your front door wide open in Oakland, CA. Something bad is guaranteed to happen. I am surprised how smart this bobcat is in coming back and again and again to finish each and every one of them. All the chickens were left in one neat pile.

When I returned 3 days after this happened I noticed some noises coming outside my bedroom window at 3am. I turned on my flashlight and I could see the bobcat eating one of the hens (at very end of video). My chickensitter had already told me about my chickens being wiped out so it didn't come as a complete surprise.

Very sad as some of the hens have been with me for 8 years.

Maybe I was feeling at family but still that is horrible

 

[Care for chicks]

Maybe I was feeling at family but still that is horrible

Maybe it was feeding its family, but still thats horrible

 

[Care for chicks]

How many did you have ?

 

[N F C]

So sorry for your loss

 

[Howard E]

Interesting video. We can now add bobcats to the list of predators who will kill lots of birds at one time (others are dogs, weasels and sometimes coons). Finding them in a pile, or partially buried is also the signature of a bobcat. Seeing how helpless the birds are at night shows how easy it is for a predator to wipe the whole bunch out. Imperative that the coop is tight and cannot be breached, no matter what.

I am wondering what happened with the chicken sitter? How do they miss that? I can say from first hand experience how frustrating it is to leave the girls in the hands of others. First bird I ever lost was when I was away. Got a call that a bird was found dead inside the coop. No clue why. Curious, as it never happened before or since. But did happen while I was away with someone else in charge.