Cat or Rat?

[MomFoldingLaundry]

This is related to my broken wing post.

I noticed two little chicks missing from my ”baby coop” the other day, but thought I’d miscounted. Then I woke up today and found one injured and dead, and another 2 missing.

Then...and this is weird...one of the older ones, maybe 3-4 weeks old, had a torn wing, like something had grabbed it and it injured itself trying to get away.

My first thought had been rats, as I really believed I’d done enough to protect my baby coop From my cat. And usually when my cat kills things, you find evidence. (Though of course, it stands to reason that he may be killing other stuff I dont see.)

But I haven’t seen any rat droppings or tunnels. Like...there may be rats. But there is no sign of them.

On the other hand, I suppose a cat (mAbe not even mine) may have found a way to ”fish” the babies out of the baby coop. Then, it could have gotten bolder.

The 2 coops with the carnage are both on the ground (supporting the rat theory), but they also both have more chicken wire, as opposed to chicken fencing, close to the base. And chicken wire is easier to see through. I’ve noticed my cat COULD get a paw through chicken fencing, but doesnt ever seem to.

I set out some rat traps in the baby coop. (Babies have been moved to a secure location.) I guess I may find out the answer tomorrow if we catch a rat.) But...is there any surefire way to know what is doing the deed? Have any of your noticed different “evidence” of a cat versus rat attack?

Thanks

 

[BlueBaby]

Some people put up one of those camera's to find out what is trying to get to their bird's.

 

[muddy75]

This is related to my broken wing post.

I noticed two little chicks missing from my ”baby coop” the other day, but thought I’d miscounted. Then I woke up today and found one injured and dead, and another 2 missing.

Then...and this is weird...one of the older ones, maybe 3-4 weeks old, had a torn wing, like something had grabbed it and it injured itself trying to get away.

My first thought had been rats, as I really believed I’d done enough to protect my baby coop From my cat. And usually when my cat kills things, you find evidence. (Though of course, it stands to reason that he may be killing other stuff I dont see.)

But I haven’t seen any rat droppings or tunnels. Like...there may be rats. But there is no sign of them.

On the other hand, I suppose a cat (mAbe not even mine) may have found a way to ”fish” the babies out of the baby coop. Then, it could have gotten bolder.

The 2 coops with the carnage are both on the ground (supporting the rat theory), but they also both have more chicken wire, as opposed to chicken fencing, close to the base. And chicken wire is easier to see through. I’ve noticed my cat COULD get a paw through chicken fencing, but doesnt ever seem to.

I set out some rat traps in the baby coop. (Babies have been moved to a secure location.) I guess I may find out the answer tomorrow if we catch a rat.) But...is there any surefire way to know what is doing the deed? Have any of your noticed different “evidence” of a cat versus rat attack?

Thanks

if a cat could get a paw through the wire, then it stands to reason that a raccoon could too with much more dexterity to remove a baby

 

[Pullet Press]

if a cat could get a paw through the wire, then it stands to reason that a raccoon could too with much more dexterity to remove a baby

As horrible as it sounds, that is a viable possibility.

 

[muddy75]

As horrible as it sounds, that is a viable possibility.

unfortunately i know from experience!! they managed to breach my original aviary netting and take out over 2 dozen birds in separate attacks before i could electrify the perimeter.

 

[JaeG]

Rats love quail. We lost quite a few birds to them when we had them in a ground pen. They'd grab them through the wire and try to pull them out, injuring them in the process. They even tried biting through hardware cloth and managed to break a strand before deciding it would be easier to chew through a thick piece of wood from underneath where I couldn't see them, and drag the poor quail out that way. Half inch hardware cloth still leaves a large enough gap for a rat to stick its snout in to grab something.

Our quail now live in solid based aviaries.

I have no experience with racoons. Hope you get it figured out and stop whatever is targeting your quail.

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

Some people put up one of those camera's to find out what is trying to get to their bird's.

Indeed. I’m thinking of conducting a stake out tonight. Too. Lol

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

We have no raccoons here in Hawaii.

But when I lived in seattle, I had to put a piece of plywood under my coop so rats wouldn’t burrow and eat my feed.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I'd go with rat. Cats are notoriously good about taking their prey away. Plus, it is unlikely a whole cat could break in and go unnoticed.

The only other possibility is mongoose; those would strike during the day.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Totally forgot Kauai doesn't have mongoose -- scratch that.