Devastated dosn't even cover it

[WillowWispFarm]

Wow lots of posts haha. At work for a few hours and already on another page.

Starting off with the dog thing, we have 3 dogs here but it would be way way to traumatizing for any of them to be left out at night, that and I wouldn't dare risk something happening to them at night. I know we have cyotes and my dogs may be big but its not worth the risk. That and I think they would think we were mad at them or worse, they whine like crazy if we dont let them back in when there done going potty lol.

Also when I got all of my girls last year I was all set up. Had a beautiful run and everything for them, till winter hit and collapsed the run from the heavy and hard winter storm. Since then due to us building out new house behind our house now we havn't had time or extra money yet to fix it. We have lived in the county for years and years but never had a problem with predators till a few weeks ago.

I also think it is a fox now. My boyfriend saw one the other day but couldn't get a shot off at it because my donkey decided it wanted to make a friend and say hi. I also saw a small animals, may have been a fox, on my way home from work this morning. So when i parked my truck I out new bait in it and set the trap up closer to where we think it gets in the yard.

 

[ondrea19]

I have a similar issue now but it's my parents Puppy attacking chickens and a skunk taking my duck eggs. The skunk will die as soon as I get proof and my moms yorkie puppy better watch her back. I've lost too much money and chickens this year to play puppy games. (The chickens are 4 times are size yet she attacks them i don't get it. If she goes after my remaining bantams there will be hell to pay)

 

[21hens-incharge]

The feral cat is a big issue IMHO. They being feral are not vaccinated and rabies is bad news all the way around. I would get rid of it one way or another.

The best bait for a raccoon is stinky canned cat food. For a fox the trap needs to be near the key kill spots where the chickens are being taken and disguised with branches and what not. I would use old duck eggs as bait for a fox. They LOVE duck eggs. Of course store bought chicken works well too.
Feral cats are hard to trap so the set up for a fox but with fish or canned cat food should work.

If you still cannot catch the critter you may need to do something I am not a fan of having to do. Make or buy a very secure small cage and put one bird in it and place it at the end of the trap so the critter can see the bird but NOT get to it. Place it so the critter needing caught HAS to go into the trap to get near the chicken.
Personally if it harasses my birds and God forbid kills ANY I do not hesitate in "getting rid" of the offender.

 

[dekel18042]

Another one, snatched right outside my window. I could hear her scream and I ran as fast as I could outside and it was already to late. Nothing but a few feather piles...
I"m sorry Delilah. You were the first chicken of mine to lay an egg, and although you were mouthy and always yelled at me you didn't deserve this...

Was Delilah carried away? I'm wondering if you have two different predators? Unless this cat is very big and the hen small, I can't see a cat catching and carrying a chicken away that fast if you got outside right away. A fox or dog seems more likely to me, or even a bobcat if you have any, at least for this one.

 

[WillowWispFarm]

This is Delilah... this was taken later last summer, she didnt get to much bigger then that. She was attacked outside of my bedroom window and dragged out threw the feild and into the woods. We fallowed feather trails and my step dad even found her body but in the very short time it took for him to walk back to get me and go to her body what ever it was took it and went away with it...

We think we have a fox and a cat tag teaming.

Was Delilah carried away? I'm wondering if you have two different predators? Unless this cat is very big and the hen small, I can't see a cat catching and carrying a chicken away that fast if you got outside right away. A fox or dog seems more likely to me, or even a bobcat if you have any, at least for this one.

 

[PeckinGorgeous]

Woah. That'd be hard to deal with.
So sorry about Delilah. *hugs* keep your chin up and guns out.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There are 14 furbearers in New York and 11 or 12 of them could do this. Add dogs to that..... oh well.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6969.html