Heartbroken to say the least....

[babyratt]

This is what I found.
In fact, carnivorous predators make chickens their top preference and primary target. Given the opportunity, predators like raccoons will devour chickens without any regret or consideration. Young chickens enjoy laying on bare floors at night and become easy targets for these hungry critters.

That's what my guys at work said too. But come to find out they will take the whole bird!!

I always thought racoons were cute and sweet

 

[Cold-Blood]

Once they get a taste they'll keep coming back. I saw it got a duck egg last night before getting in the trap. Last time it's gonna do that for sure.

Last meal? Yes?

 

[BirbMama92]

Last meal? Yes?

Yep!! Just took care of it.

 

[BirbMama92]

I always thought racoons were cute and sweet

Not even close. Tried to attack my hubs through the trap squares

 

[BirbMama92]

Thought I'd post an update... As soon as the raccoon was disposed of I haven't lost a bird since. Looks like one "small" creature was the cause of over 25 birds lost. Most of them being my favorite ones.

I miss them everyday.

 

[McChooky]

I have two but they have been having issues so I can't get them to reconnect to my home network.

It wouldn't surprise me if he had something to do with this. He called the cops on me last summer for a chicken pooping in his yard - it was in the literal 1/2 acre empty lot between us. We live outside of city limits so it's a county problem but the cops thought it was ridiculous. Since then he has seriously had it out for me.

Can geese see in the dark? It got my girl last night, and her mate was nibbling her feathers this morning just doing his goose screams. He is so heartbroken, too

After work i'm headed to get a live trap, and i'll get it set up asap.

My game camera was like $28 bucks on Amazon (I already had an sd card) I bought some batteries for it & replaced them 6 months ago. I highly recommend one if you can't fix your camera ! No one likes waking up to surprises or having to guess what killed them.Glad you you got that guy before he got anymore!

 

[Anime2lover]

Great job! I thought racoons were only after eggs.

Nope. They'll gladly take birds.

 

[Anime2lover]

This is the only place I know where I can post this and others will understand.

I started my bird journey last year after my son wanted to bring home a chick his class had hatched from school. He wasn't chosen so we went to our local Bomgaars and that's where my journey began...

Since then I have raised 40+ girls, along with ducks and two geese in the past year. Unfortunately some of the chicks I had struggled so I lost some along the way but to me it was rewarding because I gave them my whole heart and they were loved until the very end.

This spring, my neighbor killed 9 of my babies. I don't have enough evidence to press charges but I know it was him. He's the only one that hates me enough to do such emotional damage. Since then it has been nothing but hell trying to keep my babies safe.

Over the weekend a predator came into our yard and took 19 of my girls, one of my bantam roos, and my remaining guinea who's name was Bob. My husband and I made the run smaller and put a cover on in hopes to save my remaining babies.

It didn't work....

This morning my step dad shows up around 640 to pick up my kiddos; he went in the back yard and found that something had gotten in. This time it couldn't carry my girls off as there was no hole big enough for it to escape with it's catch. I found the remains of my girl, Hennifer, the one that started my whole journey; and half of my sweet girl goose. I just now realized that my bantam roo, Harold, is also no longer with us. I didn't find any parts of him, but there wasn't much to him...

I have 5 girls left, my rooster (Oreo), my young gander, and my ducks.

Why hasn't anything attempted to take my ducks? Why just my chickens and small roos?

I'm beyond devastated. I have no words to even describe how I feel. I honestly have made myself sick over this whole situation because I have tried to keep them safe, but I have failed. Failed miserably. I feel like the worst bird mom in the whole world right now.

I don't know what else to do.

Do they get closed inside the coop at night or do they have access to the penn all night? Is there a dardware cloth all around the penn to prevent future preds from digging under? What about lining your penn walls with the stuff?