Heartbroken -- Bobcat attacked last night

[Morrigan]

There is 4 to 5 inch wide gap at the top of the gate, where the gate ends and the structure supporting the top netting begins. The gate is also constructed of "no-climb" wire fencing where the gaps start at 1 inch and width, and grow to about 4 inch squares near the top. Everywhere else, we have electric fencing in double strands near the bottom so the animals get shocked if they try to climb up the fence to the larger holes. We knew the gate was a weakness, but had persuaded ourselves that it would be incredibly bad luck and quite unlikely for a predator to find that one 3 wide foot spot, heavily trafficked by humans, where it could climb up without getting shocked, and then squeeze through a small gap. Our mistake, and we feel terrible about it. Husband is now covering the gate in hardware cloth and creating a wooden flange to fill the top gap.

Just looked up the laws -- it is legal in California to shoot up to 5 bobcats in season, and it is currently bobcat season. You cannot trap them here, however, so we won't be doing that.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Well he was doing as nature intended him to do I guess.

So would I be when protecting my own so ka-pow! If you feel that's right for you anyway. If a normally super elusive thing like a bobcat is showing itself in daylight that's it's own concern I think.

 

[Morrigan]

Update: Bobcat hunting tags have been purchased. All the chickens are in the coop for the night, the door to the coop set on close, plus its is manually blocked from opening. They were terrified of going in the coop tonight. I stood out there on guard duty until it was almost full dark before they went in.

A bit of good news -- the chicken bitten on the head is doing really well so far. She is drinking water, ate all her food, and is looking around like she wants out of the dog carrier (pet hospital). She actually laid an egg in the dog carrier, the sweet girl.

I'm going to wash the bite, and put more ointment tomorrow morning, but as long as it looks good, I am then thinking about letting her mix back with what's left of the flock.

The other chicken who looked hurt, but wasn't, seemed a bit more with it this afternoon as well. They are all a little shell-shocked, I think. Although 4 laid eggs today, I'm expecting an upcoming drought as they deal with the stress and loss of flock-mates.

The poor rabbit is still in bad shape. I thought she may have shifted her legs a little today, but I may be just seeing what I want to see. Still eating her kale with relish, however.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

Most of my flock was wiped out last night. We thought we had built Fort Knox. Totally fenced yard, hawk netting on top and double strands of electric wire around the perimeter. The only weak point was the entry door, where we don't have electric wire strung across. I'm guessing that's where it got in, as there is a small gaps there.

Anyway, last night I did a chicken check after the automatic door had closed. Everyone accounted for and on their roosts. The automatic door opens into the fenced yard, around dawn (I've since moved the time back to 8 a.m.). At 7:30 a.m., about an hour after it opened, I go out to check on the chickens. I see only handful of birds wandering around the yard squawking. I got that sick feeling in my stomach and run to the coop. Total slaughterhouse inside. 9 out of 17 dead with their necks broken. One more is injured with bite marks on her head but still alive. All of my original flock of 5 year olds, save one, dead. My best, wonderful broody hen, dead. My little pullet who laid her first egg yesterday, dead. One of my favorite sussex, who followed me around talking to me, dead. The cat also spooked the rabbits in the hutches, and one of my pregnant does must have panicked because it look like she injured her back last night, her hind legs are paralyzed, and we may need to put her down. She was 5 days from her due date.

My sheer happenstance, I had given my husband a game trail camera for Christmas and he was testing it in the chicken yard last night, so we got a clear picture of the culprit, a very small bobcat -- probably a juvenile. Small enough to squeeze through the little gaps, big enough to do plenty of harm.

My husband just left to buy materials to encase the entire door area and every small gap in hardware cloth and also string a third line of electric fencing higher up the fence (which is a no-climb fence, not hardware cloth), so that the cat would hit it, if it tried to jump on the fence over the existing wires.

I've separated out the bite victim, washed her wounds and applied triple anti-biotic cream to them. The wounds are not big (I had to peel back the feathers to even see them), but they are puncture wounds, so I imagine they are a few mm deep. I'm going to check today to see if the tractor store sells any type of oral antibiotic. The hen is alive, but she's fluffed up and hanging her head, so I am very worried about her. I'm not sure if there is anything else I can do.

This has been the hardest day of my chicken keeping. I needed to vent (and cry). I really feel like I let those poor birds down. Thanks if you read all the way to the end.

Sorry for your loss. My heart breaks for the both of you.

 

[lissalischicks]

omg I am so sorry to hear about this!!! This is one of my biggest fears but I worry more about the coyotes and opossums in my area. I hope the rabbit and chickens pull through!

 

[Christine972]

So sorry to read of your loss. It's not your fault so don't be hard on yourself. Praying that the injured will heal. Hang in there - the survivors are counting on you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

To me, it's a positive sign if the injured hen is drinking/eating and moving around. Keep watch on the wounds, if any look like they could be picked at from the other chickens, apply a little Blu Kote to hide them. I agree with - if she is able to mingle with the others that would be very good.

Your other girl - she may have been exhausted, dehydrated or in shock from the attack. If she is still a bit off tomorrow, take her aside for a few minutes if you can - give her a direct dose of Poultry Nutri-Drench (1cc per 3lbs of weight) if you have some. Hopefully this will give her a boost. Sometimes it can take a few days for birds to go back to "normal" after a traumatic event.

I'm sorry that you lost your girl - such a sweet photo in your avatar.
I'm thinking about your rabbit and hope that she will pull through.

Thank you very much for the update and for sharing with us. Please keep us posted on how they are all doing.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

There is 4 to 5 inch wide gap at the top of the gate, where the gate ends and the structure supporting the top netting begins. The gate is also constructed of "no-climb" wire fencing where the gaps start at 1 inch and width, and grow to about 4 inch squares near the top. Everywhere else, we have electric fencing in double strands near the bottom so the animals get shocked if they try to climb up the fence to the larger holes. We knew the gate was a weakness, but had persuaded ourselves that it would be incredibly bad luck and quite unlikely for a predator to find that one 3 wide foot spot, heavily trafficked by humans, where it could climb up without getting shocked, and then squeeze through a small gap. Our mistake, and we feel terrible about it. Husband is now covering the gate in hardware cloth and creating a wooden flange to fill the top gap.

Just looked up the laws -- it is legal in California to shoot up to 5 bobcats in season, and it is currently bobcat season. You cannot trap them here, however, so we won't be doing that.

Is this the gate to the chicken run or the door to the coop? How did the bobcat get inside the coop from there?

I'm fortifying the people door to the coop tomorrow and building a new gate to the run. I'm also adding a second layer of hardware cloth to the windows.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Chickens don’t usually mourn the loss of other birds. Unless they’re the only one left and they’re alone, or if they’re a close flock of two or three.

My flock of six was noticeably affected when Dune Buggy died a few months ago, and Rosemary the Head Hen kept circling the workshop where we kept her and where she died, doing a mournful squawking as she paced back and forth around the structure. She did this for about a week.

I could feel their awareness that someone wasn't with them anymore. It was startling and also heartwarming to observe.

 

[Poultry4Health]

Most of my flock was wiped out last night. We thought we had built Fort Knox. Totally fenced yard, hawk netting on top and double strands of electric wire around the perimeter. The only weak point was the entry door, where we don't have electric wire strung across. I'm guessing that's where it got in, as there is a small gaps there.

Anyway, last night I did a chicken check after the automatic door had closed. Everyone accounted for and on their roosts. The automatic door opens into the fenced yard, around dawn (I've since moved the time back to 8 a.m.). At 7:30 a.m., about an hour after it opened, I go out to check on the chickens. I see only handful of birds wandering around the yard squawking. I got that sick feeling in my stomach and run to the coop. Total slaughterhouse inside. 9 out of 17 dead with their necks broken. One more is injured with bite marks on her head but still alive. All of my original flock of 5 year olds, save one, dead. My best, wonderful broody hen, dead. My little pullet who laid her first egg yesterday, dead. One of my favorite sussex, who followed me around talking to me, dead. The cat also spooked the rabbits in the hutches, and one of my pregnant does must have panicked because it look like she injured her back last night, her hind legs are paralyzed, and we may need to put her down. She was 5 days from her due date.

My sheer happenstance, I had given my husband a game trail camera for Christmas and he was testing it in the chicken yard last night, so we got a clear picture of the culprit, a very small bobcat -- probably a juvenile. Small enough to squeeze through the little gaps, big enough to do plenty of harm.

My husband just left to buy materials to encase the entire door area and every small gap in hardware cloth and also string a third line of electric fencing higher up the fence (which is a no-climb fence, not hardware cloth), so that the cat would hit it, if it tried to jump on the fence over the existing wires.

I've separated out the bite victim, washed her wounds and applied triple anti-biotic cream to them. The wounds are not big (I had to peel back the feathers to even see them), but they are puncture wounds, so I imagine they are a few mm deep. I'm going to check today to see if the tractor store sells any type of oral antibiotic. The hen is alive, but she's fluffed up and hanging her head, so I am very worried about her. I'm not sure if there is anything else I can do.

This has been the hardest day of my chicken keeping. I needed to vent (and cry). I really feel like I let those poor birds down. Thanks if you read all the way to the end.

So sorry so sorry.But make sure you don't give up.You'll come up with better solutions for yourself and all others in the forum.I know its extremely heartbreaking but unfortunately this does happen to many.