Death Death Everywhere

[bloonskiller911]

So where to begin? Three days ago I noticed 3 of my 7 week olds chicks were missing and one Speckled Sussex hen. I must say I didn't think much about it. My hen had been acting broody for days and my chickens free range, so I suspected she had a nice little nest hidden some where, and with little chicks when you have 42 sometimes you miscount. Then 2 days ago I found a chick dead in my coop. Needless to say, the live trap was set up and some steel traps too. I didn't catch anything, but lost 24 chicks, one rooster, and three hens. such a sad day. my liuttle girl asked "where's Johnny?" he is/was our rooster. But tonight, there was death of a different kind. Three raccoons and two opossums are no longer bothering my chickens!!!!!! Now to keep it up for the next couple days off to make sure I've got everything.


Does any one have any tricks or tips to catching/eliminating raccoons and opossums?

Good luck to anyone else having the same problems.

 

[ladyrsanti]

So sad! They are getting inside your coop???

 

[dainerra]

be sure to keep the traps set for at least a week. this time of year, all the predators have babies so they will be out and about soon.

 

[speckledhen]

How are they getting inside at night? That is what you need to concentrate on, not catching everything in your woods.

The predators you named are nocturnal 99% of the time, so if your birds have a safe coop at night, your problem is solved. Nothing can get into our coops except a bear, and a bear goes wherever he wants to go.

 

[bloonskiller911]

yes in the coop. i have a good secure coop but i have not yet concreted the floor. one step at a time.

 

[speckledhen]

So you have a dirt floor? If there were dig barriers, that would help. Until you do that, your coop is not really secure at all.