Dead hen in the coop this AM

[Wild Trapper]

I went to check on my neighbors chickens this morning and found one laying on the floor dead. Her head was missing and most of her neck, along with part of the breast meat. None of the others were bothered as much as I could tell. The door to the run stays opened so something could easily have gotten in, but I can't figure out what it would be for only one chicken to have been killed. I'm thinking it could have been a skunk or a weasel. It seems like maybe a large feral cat might have done it, but a raccoon would probably not have stopped at just killing one. I also plan to fashion some kind of door to close before another night. Presently there is no door, but I can take some scraps and build something to close it up at night. Failing that I could bring her chickens over with mine until she gets home.

The neighbor is away in Thailand right now so I'm taking care of the chickens for them. We plan to set some live traps this evening in hopes of catching the culprit. This is the second hen this past week that has been killed or gone missing. The first never came home from free ranging a couple days ago. I figured a fox, coyote, or hawk probably got it, but this one was killed at night, inside a fenced coop. I don't allow mine to free range and I have been closing the run door to my coop at night due to the cold weather.

Any one have any idea what would only kill one chicken and then eat only the head, neck breast area and not even try to drag off the remainder of the bird?

 

[peterlund]

All I can offer is advice to close door at sunset until the owners get home.... If not I assume the predator will make nightly visits for his free and easy meal! I am sure the chickens will appreciate the security after watching one of their fellow feathered friends being devoured in front of them.... My 2 cents! Good luck with your babysitting!

 

[obaan1]

You are a good neighbor. Thank you.

 

[kathyAtABetterWayFarm]

if opening and closing the door is a problem because of your schedule, invest in an automatic door. It takes over 95% of the work of owning chickens! Well worth the money! I've had mine for 3 years now and LOVE it. It opens and closes on a time (which I do have to adjust as the days get longer/shorter), but it also came with an attachment to do a dusk to dawn thing, but I didn't think that was good. It opened the door too early, when a lot of predators were still out and about. We have fox and owls for sure, and who knows what else. Next thing I need to invest in is a game camera! ;o)

 

[Wild Trapper]

I solved the problem for the neighbors flock, at least temporarily, I moved her flock in with mine. Then I set two live traps with pieces of the dead chicken. One in the fenced in area and the other inside the coop. I sure hope I don't catch a skunk inside the coop. I am not too worried about mixing the flock, since about half of mine came from hers anyway. I marked hers, so I can tell them apart and take them home when she gets home. I waited until just before dark so as to catch the birds on the roost and make it as easy on myself as possible. I should know in the next night or two what was bothering her chickens, if it does come back.

The big problem came when I had to move my two young roosters that were in with the hens into the chicken tractor with a much older experienced rooster I have in there, that someone just gave me. He sure put those young ones in their place in a hurry.

ETA: Kathy, I have no schedule except to go to bed at night, get up in the morning and take care of my animals. Sometimes it is later when i get up and go out to open the run door, but the chickens are usually busy eating and laying eggs waiting for me to come open up for them.

 

[Wild Trapper]

I think I caught the culprit last night in the inside live trap. It was an opossum. I hate possums. I'll reset the trap and watch for more issues, but before I put her chickens back I'll have to build some sort of door I can close at night.

 

[CANDLE98]

I hope that was your pest! We had a coon attack last year and my husband shot it in the coop the 2nd night!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Your neighbors egg production might go up, too, now. Never know if he was swiping eggs before moving to the big time. Good work!

 

[Wild Trapper]

Quote:
Actually I don't think the possum was getting many if any eggs. I was going in at least three times a day and gathering any eggs with a final check at dusk when I closed the gate. Being only one hen was killed and partially eaten, I don't think it was a more aggressive predator like a raccoon or even a weasel that might have killed more than just the one. I plan to reset the trap again as long as I'm at it, to make sure something else doesn't come in.

 

[Wild Trapper]

HELP!

Went out this morning to check on the traps. The one outside was turned over and the piece of dead chicken was completely gone. I went inside the coop and there was a skunk

in the trap. I will give anyone brave enough to come take it away, free of charge of course, one very well fed skunk, less the trap.

Bring your own cage. As a bonus, it is a #4 skunk at that, it will make a very attractive mountain man hat.

I still haven't figured out how I will deal with the skunk.

I have only limited use of my right arm and it will take two hands to move it out of the coop to a location where I can deal with it, without it spraying me. There are no chickens in the coop to worry about as above, I moved them. Any takers?

Oh, don't bother to ask to use the rest room after you load your skunk and do leave as fast as you can, Please!