Feeling like a total idiot

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

Hmmmm... Do you have another place to put the keets?

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

They just may be spending the night in the shed!

That sounds good. Make sure it's weasel proof. They can climb and dig.

 

[M Brennen]

So so sorry. Are you saying they attacked your brooder from underneath? I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth around my chicken run. I was hoping that would be good enough. I had rats dig underneath a small chicken coop that was sitting on pallets. It bit the feet of my chickens.

 

[Tre3hugger]

So so sorry. Are you saying they attacked your brooder from underneath? I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth around my chicken run. I was hoping that would be good enough. I had rats dig underneath a small chicken coop that was sitting on pallets. It bit the feet of my chickens.

Yes. Underneath is the only place with 1/2 inch. Every other wall is 1/4 inch so it had to be through the bottom. Could have been a rat. Or a weasel. Or even a coon. I reinforced the brooder floors with tiles just now, and tripled the depth of the pine shavings. Also set some traps. Hopefully this can catch it or at least deter it. Sleeping with one eye open tonight!!

 

[M Brennen]

Appreciate the tips. I ran to TSC and got there right before closing. They had ZERO traps on the shelf for anything bigger than rat. So I got an xl rat trap and borrowed a raccoon size havahart from a friend(slightly bigger than the one in your photo). I set them both with tuna as bait near the brooder. I also reinforced the floor with tiles and tripled the depth of their wood chips. Hopefully this will work for tonight. I also raked out the under brooder area of all small debris(there wasn't much anyway) and moved the tote I think the culprit climbed up. I also put a motion light over there. I am so scared for tonight. I hope they make it thru alright and the culprit is caught or at least deterred for the night until I can get the two pack of small havaharts tomorrow. SO STRESSFUL.

Thanks again for your support.

It might also help to get or borrow a game camera. It’s amazing what animals you will see. We have seen raccoons, weasels, cats, and skunks. My cousin actually caught a bear attacking her chicken coop.

 

[neo71665]

Make sure it's legal to relocate in your state. Also coons have a home range of 5-8 miles so if the park is in that range it will just return.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Any of you "neighbors" freindly enough to have an old .22 they'd sell or trade you for?

You are a mind reader! My closest neighbor(about a mile away, and the only other soul on my road) just might have something. I was just telling my wife I was going to give him a call today and ask him. I was also just researching .22s online. There are certainly some in my price range. I have been needing a homestead rifle anyway. This situation will most likely facilitate that.

 

[dbtcowgirl]

#1 I'm sorry for your loss
#2 You should not feel like an idiot, dealing with predators is never easy and no one in the livestock world is immune.
#3 I wish you success in ridding your coop of invaders
#4 Seriously you are not an idiot your are someone who took a risk and lost despite your best efforts, for that I am sorry

 

[Folly's place]

I agree that 'legal' and 'ethical' aren't always the same, but in this case, yes, both are congruent.
State laws about wildlife management, and specifically, raccoon, skunk, and maybe others, are there for good reasons.
Rabies and canine distemper are spread by raccoons, in addition to their specific intestinal roundworm, which is also very bad news.
Relocating critters into a new place, already inhabited by resident animals of the same species, does them no favors. The relocated animal will generally be driven out of the new place, and try to return to home territory. Either it's successful, or dies trying. And it loves chicken, and knows about live traps.
If your coop and run are truly predator proof, no trapping is necessary anyway!
Mary

 

[Tre3hugger]

They should sell box traps get a small ish one. Do you know how big it is? If not start lf with a small one then get a bigger one if that doesn't work after a while. They are tricky to catch. I will post a pic of the trap I used. I would set up a game camera as well. Also you can get prededer light its a red light. Prededers don't like it. Could it be a rat? Rats eat there feet and they will eat chicks/ keets heads of like weasels. Rats will come around not because your nasty but because of the chicken feed. I have had one before. If it is a weasel get this size trap. If its a rat get poison.View attachment 2284159

Appreciate the tips. I ran to TSC and got there right before closing. They had ZERO traps on the shelf for anything bigger than rat. So I got an xl rat trap and borrowed a raccoon size havahart from a friend(slightly bigger than the one in your photo). I set them both with tuna as bait near the brooder. I also reinforced the floor with tiles and tripled the depth of their wood chips. Hopefully this will work for tonight. I also raked out the under brooder area of all small debris(there wasn't much anyway) and moved the tote I think the culprit climbed up. I also put a motion light over there. I am so scared for tonight. I hope they make it thru alright and the culprit is caught or at least deterred for the night until I can get the two pack of small havaharts tomorrow. SO STRESSFUL.

Thanks again for your support.