closed in chicken pens whats still killing my chickens

[Shalako]

We have a chicken pen covered with chain link fence 6' high and chicken wire inside of that and across the top. The doors fit tight and can not see how anything is getting in. We first found a chicken that was sitting on four eggs dead still sitting in the nest and the eggs were totally gone. Now there are two dead last year peacocks, two dead this year peachicks. Can anyone help us with this. We don't see any tracks, signs or anything. They bodies looked to be all there.

 

[centrarchid]

When is this occurring? Where are you located?

 

[Shalako]

I am in Georgia near Atlanta. This is happening during the night. I have just come in from looking at the pen again. It is about 60' x 30' with divided sections. The intersections has chicken wire with tight fitting doors leading from one to the other. I did find a void on two outside doors that something could come thru even a possum and have put some wood over it for tonight to see if that is the entry point. My husband will be in tomorrow and will make these two doors tighter.

 

[centrarchid]

Dead but not eaten except for eggs? Can you determine how birds where killed?


Generally speaking, full sized peafowl are too big even for my man-eating oppossums. Raccoon most plausible but kills would be messy. They are real good at forcing their way through otherwise tight openings.

Can you scrounge up a live-trap like a have a heart then bait it with a carcass and place it near door?

 

[thomasboyle]

Sorry for your losses. I would recommend a game cam. Get the culprit on film so you know what you are up against. I've seen a large possum squeeze through chain link. I didn't think it possible, but he squimed and wiggled his way through a 2" hole that I would have sworn was not possible for a critter his size.