Devistated!

[Kullbergs]

Something got in our coop and took our four new 7week old chickens. Dug a 5" hole and took them. Gone without a trace! Not a feather left behind. We searched everywhere couldn't find a thing! What could it be? We are in Connecticut.

 

[Millworker26]

Something got in our coop and took our four new 7week old chickens. Dug a 5" hole and took them. Gone without a trace! Not a feather left behind. We searched everywhere couldn't find a thing! What could it be? We are in Connecticut.

Oh man, sorry to hear that. What time of day? Were they in a run when it happened?

 

[WellieWitch]

So sorry to hear it! Could be a fox, I suppose. They tend to take their prey to another location to eat. But four? That almost seems like a dog - but they're typically messy. Any footprints? Spoor?

 

[Kullbergs]

Yes it was at night they were inside locked in their coop with our 3 older girls.

 

[Millworker26]

Yes it was at night they were inside locked in their coop with our 3 older girls.

Uggghhhh. I'm not clear on what happened? Did predator break into the run, then access the coop? Anyway, my bet is on raccoon. Those guys can dig. I just finished an apron on my setup, a 24" strip of hardware cloth that is laid on the grass and secured with 10" lawn staples. Super easy to do, and hopefully deterrent to diggers.

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Predator protection is something many of us learn over time because of bad experiences. It's one sad lesson after another, with our birds paying the price. Fix your coop to prevent more losses, as your floor isn't secure from diggers. move your survivors to a safer place and fix it tomorrow!!! Mary

 

[Kullbergs]

Yes I'm just sick sick sick about it.

 

[Howard E]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Many of us know that empty feeling all too well.

As for what that might be.......there are a lot of predators that will kill all or multiple birds.......a lot that will kill one and leave without a trace.......and others that will dig. I'm stumped to think of one that would dig it's way in, kill multiple birds, and take them all without leaving a trace. Except for the digging part, a human could get them all without leaving a trace.

Over how much time did this occur?

Could a predator have gotten one and the rest escaped, later to be caught outside?

Whatever it was, at least you know how it got in. A wide apron is as good as I can think of to defeat diggers.

 

[Kullbergs]

It was all in one night. We are putting up a camera and cementing down and around the entire pen! It dug under the fence and took them without a feather left behind. We can not find any trace of them anywhere. We filled in the hole with large rocks and it tried digging in the same spot last night again! My husband just left for Home Depot with a haveaheart and cement on his list. A friend just gave us a large 6x10' dog kennel! Wish us luck!

 

[Folly's place]

It's impossible to have too much security! Mary