- Aug 29, 2011
- 2
- 0
- 7
I live in Western New York and have a mystery predator. I had a flock of 21 egg layers earlier this summer that were kept in a coop open to a fenced-in run. I used 2 x 4 welded wire fencing, 6 feet high,
1 1/2 inch poultry netting over the top, and wire fencing buried underneath to prevent things getting in by digging.
The first night 4 hens were taken, no signs of a struggle, no loose feathers anywhere. I did a check of the fencing and found a couple of places where something could have squeezed through between the fencing and the netting and I closed them up.
A few nights later 7 hens were taken, again without any sign, but this time an eighth hen was left behind, dead and partially eaten. Her head was still there. I found another spot in the fence/net I must have missed and closed it up.
This scenario was repeated several more nights until all 21 were gone. I slowly realized that whatever was getting in was biting through the netting over the top of the run to get in, leaving a hole roughly 8 to 10 inches or less in diameter.
Known predators around here include fox, raccoon, fisher, bobcat, oppossum, skunk, and coyote. What baffles me is what could take numerous hens out of the pen through a relatively small hole without leaving any trace?
1 1/2 inch poultry netting over the top, and wire fencing buried underneath to prevent things getting in by digging.
The first night 4 hens were taken, no signs of a struggle, no loose feathers anywhere. I did a check of the fencing and found a couple of places where something could have squeezed through between the fencing and the netting and I closed them up.
A few nights later 7 hens were taken, again without any sign, but this time an eighth hen was left behind, dead and partially eaten. Her head was still there. I found another spot in the fence/net I must have missed and closed it up.
This scenario was repeated several more nights until all 21 were gone. I slowly realized that whatever was getting in was biting through the netting over the top of the run to get in, leaving a hole roughly 8 to 10 inches or less in diameter.
Known predators around here include fox, raccoon, fisher, bobcat, oppossum, skunk, and coyote. What baffles me is what could take numerous hens out of the pen through a relatively small hole without leaving any trace?
