Confusing EE/Did I end up with all boys!?

[Folly's place]

Rats killed three bantam pullets here a few years ago, at night while they were roosting. Bigger birds weren't hurt, and the headless bodies were still in the coop in the morning. No more wall insulation, bait stations out, and no rats here!
I could see a weasel dragging one off, but that's a small hole for any critter much larger.
Mary

 

[chrissynemetz]

I've had rats kill chicks... small ones, but they didn't carry them off.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Rats killed three bantam pullets here a few years ago, at night while they were roosting. Bigger birds weren't hurt, and the headless bodies were still in the coop in the morning. No more wall insulation, bait stations out, and no rats here!
I could see a weasel dragging one off, but that's a small hole for any critter much larger.
Mary

Hmm... I did see a huge rat several months ago but haven’t seen one since. Maybe I should set some traps though just to be safe. But would a rat be able to drag one out??? Or would they even do that? There was no body or anything anywhere. Just feathers. And I don’t know why a weasel or rat would dig in since they could likely fit through the fencing? But maybe not?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I've had rats kill chicks... small ones, but they didn't carry them off.

Hmm... so it’s possible then? I need to eat these guys ha and yeah that is the weirdest thing to me is that he is missing. And no evidence except the feathers. There actually appears to be kind of a trial from in front of the door to a few feet away but then it stops.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Mysteries like that eat at me for the longest time.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mysteries like that eat at me for the longest time.

Yeah this is a strange mystery! I didn’t see any feathers or anything anywhere else in the yard. I looked. But this dog house was essentially abandoned and left to the critters for 20+ years so I wonder if something is living under the coop already.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Oh crap, that's a possibility!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh crap, that's a possibility!

Yeah, that would make a lot more sense. Although it did dig in and there were feathers on the outside of the fence so

We have used it and put stuff in the shed and stuff and we’ve had various dogs (though we didn’t actually use it as a dog house ha) so not entirely abandoned but we never used it or touched the stuff and the critters basically took it over. There was a huge hole in the floor in the back so there was definitely stuff living under it but we patched the floor before we put the chicks in and I think it was just chipmunks anyway. And surely it would be long gone by now or have killed more since they’ve been out there for a month now? But something living underneath would explain the holes going under the coop. Or maybe they have a tunnel under there leading outside the run? The whole thing is a huge mystery.

 

[Folly's place]

Dealing with predators is a never ending adventure! One problem solved, and another turns up. Making a truly predator proof coop takes real effort, and redoing at times, and is the only way to have chickens safe at night.
It must be too cold for a snake in Mass. right now though!
Mary

 

[chrissynemetz]

The mystery just gets deeper lol you gotta get a camera.... I'm so curious