Daytime predator

[Bkydchickens]

So we got a picture of a bobcat on a camera walking about 10 feet from our coop. But over the last month or so we have lost way too many chickens. I have larger chicken breeds too. I thought it was coon population out of control, but we have taken care of all of them & a couple possums that we relocated. But they are disappearing in the daytime. Everyone is locked up & I'd let them out to the fenced yard, some would wander outside the fence but came back. Over this time we have lost 20 birds! I have 10 cameras & they aren't catching anything! So we are putting more up tomorrow. I decided to keep everyone penned 24hrs. I let the 4 guineas out 11am-4pm, I have 3 now. All we are finding outside of camera view is a small pile of feathers abt 12 & a light trail leading to the woods. Some are large orpingtons! Always feathers in a different area. I thought maybe a fox so we have radios that come one odd hours on different days. Never the same. We are here most of the time. Fence to our property is barbed wire top & bottom & Netwire. We have 2 dogs but they are with us. We are trying to figure out what we are looking for. Near Galveston, TX. We have everything but bears, weasels. We have seen fox, bobcat, boars, small hawk, vultures, Cougar, alligator, coyotes, wolf (hasn't been seen in decades). Eagles aren't here yet, nor the large hawks.

 

[nuthatched]

I think you're going to have to invest in a secure run for now, whatever it is has learned that there's food in your area.
Can they cameras be put further out on the property?
If not, can you make a print trap so you know what you're dealing with?
Spread sand or moisten dirt in various areas to hopefully get a track.

 

[NCchickentender]

Maybe (if you have one or can borrow one) a ground hunting blind? Maybe you can see what's killing your chickens that way. It obviously knows when to come around for dinner.

 

[SamLockwood]

I had a bobcat decide to attack during the day. It got 4 of my birds, including one that it grabbed not more than 20 yards from me. The feather pattern sounds the same. I put my flock on lockdown for a week, then when I let them out I staggered the release time anywhere from an hour after dawn to a couple hours before dusk.

I also tried to hunt the cat down without success. I found two places that might have been it's lair or where it was entering my property. I got it a couple of times of times on trail cameras but never laid eyes on it myself.

About four weeks into the hunt I stopped getting it on camera, stopped finding tracks, and stopped losing birds. I don't know if a neighbor dispatched or or my efforts drove it away but I any case it's gone.

Good luck

 

[Bkydchickens]

I think you're going to have to invest in a secure run for now, whatever it is has learned that there's food in your area.
Can they cameras be put further out on the property?
If not, can you make a print trap so you know what you're dealing with?
Spread sand or moisten dirt in various areas to hopefully get a track.

Good ideas. We are going out today to move cameras further out. Some are cell cameras, but not very reliable. Maybe that will luck out.

 

[Bkydchickens]

I had a bobcat decide to attack during the day. It got 4 of my birds, including one that it grabbed not more than 20 yards from me. The feather pattern sounds the same. I put my flock on lockdown for a week, then when I let them out I staggered the release time anywhere from an hour after dawn to a couple hours before dusk.

I also tried to hunt the cat down without success. I found two places that might have been it's lair or where it was entering my property. I got it a couple of times of times on trail cameras but never laid eyes on it myself.

About four weeks into the hunt I stopped getting it on camera, stopped finding tracks, and stopped losing birds. I don't know if a neighbor dispatched or or my efforts drove it away but I any case it's gone.

Good luck

Thank you! Good ideas, we are going to go on a walk today too.

 

[McChooky]

So we got a picture of a bobcat on a camera walking about 10 feet from our coop. But over the last month or so we have lost way too many chickens. I have larger chicken breeds too. I thought it was coon population out of control, but we have taken care of all of them & a couple possums that we relocated. But they are disappearing in the daytime. Everyone is locked up & I'd let them out to the fenced yard, some would wander outside the fence but came back. Over this time we have lost 20 birds! I have 10 cameras & they aren't catching anything! So we are putting more up tomorrow. I decided to keep everyone penned 24hrs. I let the 4 guineas out 11am-4pm, I have 3 now. All we are finding outside of camera view is a small pile of feathers abt 12 & a light trail leading to the woods. Some are large orpingtons! Always feathers in a different area. I thought maybe a fox so we have radios that come one odd hours on different days. Never the same. We are here most of the time. Fence to our property is barbed wire top & bottom & Netwire. We have 2 dogs but they are with us. We are trying to figure out what we are looking for. Near Galveston, TX. We have everything but bears, weasels. We have seen fox, bobcat, boars, small hawk, vultures, Cougar, alligator, coyotes, wolf (hasn't been seen in decades). Eagles aren't here yet, nor the large hawks.

Bob cats can pick your chickens off one by one or get several at a time and unlike possums or raccoons they'll hunt them in the morning, afternoon or middle of the day plus at night. Because you've already seen this one you know its stalking your chickens and probably eaten some too or wouldn't be brave enough to get so close to the coop.My two cents is add an electric fence because they hate them. It'll do more to protect your chickens than cameras

 

[McChooky]

My chickens were out foraging in the woods one day when a bob cat attacked them a couple months ago.My favorite hen is lucky she only got a broke leg .Had she not flown out of the woods and landed 15 ft from me I wouldn't have been able to save her. I didn't even see what was after her until I reached to pick her up and got a glimpse of it hiding in the foliage above me.I've quit free ranging for now

 

[Bkydchickens]

We are giving up free ranging unless we are outside in the late afternoon. We put up an electric net fence, but haven't electrified it yet. We added on a large run, using dog kennel panels & small square fence panels for the roof & I'm growing leftover parakeet seed in sections & moving hardware cloth cover from time to time so they can forage.

 

[McChooky]

We are giving up free ranging unless we are outside in the late afternoon. We put up an electric net fence, but haven't electrified it yet. We added on a large run, using dog kennel panels & small square fence panels for the roof & I'm growing leftover parakeet seed in sections & moving hardware cloth cover from time to time so they can forage.

Thanks for the update! Glad you have them locked up where they're safe!