Devestation

[Leighe]

The was a small hole dig under the hardware cloth about 10-12" across. It was big at all. It took all 15!!!!

How far out did the hardware cloth extend and how far down into the ground did it go? It needs to be either 2-3 feet down into the ground and/or minimum of 2 feet out from the pen. We bring ours out from the pen 3 feet and secure with those "garden staples" and then pour about 1.5-2 feet of dirt on top. If they dig, they hit the hardware cloth and if they were to find the edge of it they have to decide if they want to dig that far to get into the pen. Plus if you've ever tried to pull those "garden staples" up from the ground after a year....Ugh.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Probably more than one animal if a group was taken. Maybe a family of coons?

 

[dodgewoman]

Here the bobcats seem to take the most. Is it possible that something got 1 or 2 and the others have wandered off----or do you feel there is enough feathers---that the whole number were taken?

The hole wasn't big enough for them to wonder off from. It was seriously small. I think whatever it was pulled them out one by one and enjoyed a 15 course dinner

Sounds like coyotes. They tend to dig a small hole, arrive in groups, and will just take as many as they can. I had a pair of them take all of my cockerels two years ago.

http://articles.extension.org/pages/71204/predator-management-for-small-and-backyard-poultry-flocks

Wow really?! I don't think one could have fit in this tiny hole. It's about the zip of my hand!

Sorry, that's got to be super frustrating. Set traps, it works the best I had a raccoon pull a hen out of her nest the other night by prying it open and all that was left was feathers, she was a week on her eggs. All her eggs died because I didn't have an incubator or another broody hen. That night I set a trap, the next morning I had a big raccoon.

Yikes! Sorry! Yea me thinking some traps are in order. What do you bait with?

I wanted to add that we installed a motion sensor light pointed at our layer coop, and that has helped a lot. No attacks since, but we still hear them yapping sometimes at night, so they haven't gone too far, unfortunately.

Good idea! Our coops back up to woods on the edge of our property. It's quite dark over there and our dogs can't patrol the back. They have run off a few things by our goats and in front of the coop.

Terrible. Hope you get it figured out.

 

[Leighe]

Probably more than one animal if a group was taken. Maybe a family of coons?

Good point, though whatever it was had lots of time to do it. BTW @dodgewoman, a game camera is cheap these days and you'll be able to see whats hanging around your place. Well worth the money and easy to put up....no wifi required, nor pluggin in.

 

[dodgewoman]

How far out did the hardware cloth extend and how far down into the ground did it go? It needs to be either 2-3 feet down into the ground and/or minimum of 2 feet out from the pen. We bring our out from the pen 3 feet and secure with those "garden staples" and then pour about 1.5-2 feet of dirt on top. If they dig, they hit the hardware cloth and if they were to find the edge of it they have to decide if they want to dig that far to get into the pen. Plus if you've ever tried to pull those "garden staples" up from the ground after a year....Ugh.

Not far enough apparently! They got through in the one section that wasn't covered over with bricks or rocks of course.

Probably more than one animal if a group was taken. Maybe a family of coons?

I don't know if it was coons. Don't they usually leave a blood trail?

 

[dodgewoman]

Good point, though whatever it was had lots of time to do it. BTW @dodgewoman, a game camera is cheap these days and you'll be able to see whats hanging around your place. Well worth the money and easy to put up....no wifi required, nor pluggin in.

Yes it did. Like I said previously. Where we placed the coop it backs up to a uncovered area of our yard. I need to get lights up back there! And yes I thought about a game camera. We have so many predators here I'm actually amazed that I have t had this devastation before now.

 

[Leighe]

Not far enough apparently! They got through in the one section that wasn't covered over with bricks or rocks of course.

Probably coons....they are seriously smart and have great hands. Although a weasel could have been the predator.


I don't know if it was coons. Don't they usually leave a blood trail?

Nope, they sometimes will leave a massacre but if they are feeding young they could carry them off to them. Chances are whatever it was had young and thats why they are missing.

 

[Top Rooster]

The hole wasn't big enough for them to wonder off from. It was seriously small. I think whatever it was pulled them out one by one and enjoyed a 15 course dinner


Wow really?! I don't think one could have fit in this tiny hole. It's about the zip of my hand!


Yikes! Sorry! Yea me thinking some traps are in order. What do you bait with?


Good idea! Our coops back up to woods on the edge of our property. It's quite dark over there and our dogs can't patrol the back. They have run off a few things by our goats and in front of the coop.

I bait with tuna it has a strong scent to attract animals.

 

[Leighe]

Yes it did. Like I said previously. Where we placed the coop it backs up to a uncovered area of our yard. I need to get lights up back there! And yes I thought about a game camera. We have so many predators here I'm actually amazed that I have t had this devastation before now.

Sadly, that is how I learn. I use game cameras now, but before I had to wait until some of my chickens were killed to know that I even had something out there. Unfortunately, my chickens have been killed free ranging so if I know by the camera whats out there, especially at night....I already know I have coyotes during the day and I've added more roosters to help somewhat with that.....I can set trap for them. Raccoons love cat food and tuna, but honestly any meat will do. Just the cans are easier to clean up afterwards. I shoot the raccoon or skunk while it's in the cage.

 

[SonoranChick]

I am heartbroken for you, I hope you're able to find the breach in security and button it up in hopes of getting some more babies. This kind of stuff happens even to the most dedicated chicken owner, no matter how hard we try to predator-proof the castle, the desperation of predators can still prevail. In my desert we have coyote and kit fox who will dig a deep hole to get a meal. I agree with a previous poster, if that many were taken, it was likely to feed the young.