Help Fast Please Something Is Killing Them All

[lovemychicks2much]

yesterdat i woke up to a nightmare when 8 of my babies was gone one grown silike hen and 7 babies that was either silikes or seabrights I could only find one of them and it was a baby silkie and it had a hole in the side of its neck and the other 7 all i could fins was feathers from the hen and 2 wings one from a silkie and 1 from a seabright I couldnt find anyway at all anything was getting in and when i got up today 2 more silkie babies was gone and 1 seabright no sign of them anywhere still no hole no nothing i dont have any clue how they are getting them I have set 2 live traps tonight but I dont know what to bait it with I put sardenes in them but im not sure what to put in it because i dont know what im trapping I'm thinking a mink or weasle but not sure what all do you all think I need help fast before everything is dead

 

[chicknmania]

I'm so sorry for you...what you're using for bait will probably catch something. You're unclear about what kind of housing your chickens are in. We had that happen in our barn a few years back. If you can make a barrier, like hardware cloth or even sheet plywood works, lay or bury it outside your coop, up against the walls, all the way around...even if you can't see ahole that will help to keep things from digging under. the walls. Plywood is not exactly attractive but it does work well as a temporary measure. When you set the traps, if you can set one inside, also. We actually stayed outside all night one night to watch and see what kind of wildlife was invading our barn. We had raccoons, a weasel, and skunks. Sounds like you might have a weasel and they are hard to trap,. You could try a game camera, too. Or, can you move your birds temporarily...to a garage, maybe?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

First things first, you need to secure your survivors. You need to find a secure place to keep them until you catch whatever the culprit is. Do you have some dog kennels? Place the remaining birds in cages or kennels and bring them into the house or lock them securely in a garage.

Next thing you need to do is to calm down and clearly post the details. How many birds went missing the first night? How did the predator get in? How did the predator get the birds out? Is your run/coop covered? What kind of wire do you have on your coop/run? Are there any burrows or tunnels? Any wire that has a hole chewed in it?

This time of year, and with so many birds missing, I would guess it was a larger animal than a weasel. I am thinking it is a fox or a coon and her brood. Weasels are notorious for mass killings, but they are also as infamous for leaving whole bodies at the scene with nothing but the necks chewed on.

-Kim

 

[lovemychicks2much]

I locked them all up inside the hen house for tonight and as far as what there cope is ... its just the wire and boards attached to the barn and hen house and it is completley covered but i looked for holes where they may have dug in and couldnt find any but the lot is right beside a creek and everyone i have talked to around here said most likey a weasle so i have a small trap set and a medium one big enough for coons and skunks and so forth and the small one is suppose to be doe weasles minks chipmunks and ect I have the small one set in what i think is its path to the creek the grass is mashed down and there was some feathers in it and I set the larger one next to the side of the coop

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Also, if you are unsure what to bait the traps with, you can always use chicken. Obviously whatever it is, it has a taste for chicken.

I think many people have very little luck when it comes to trapping a weasel. There was a homemade weasel trap posted on here some time ago. It was a leghold traps with a wooden tunnel built over it. Weasels have an uncanny need to explore dark holes and tunnels, and this prevents them from stepping or jumping over or around legtraps.

-Kim

 

[lovemychicks2much]

the first night 8 went missing including a grown hen only 1 chick was left to be found and it had a hole in the side of its neck and it was like sucked dry or something not really sure what was going on with it .... last night 3 more chicks went missing and nothing was left no bodies or anything i could find I just have the regular small wire and i checked and checked and cant find anywhere where it is getting in at but it is somehow and the top of the cope is completely covered as well I have put all the chicks up in the hen house for tonight and there is no way anything can get in it I have covered the opening that i had for the hens to get in by

 

[lovemychicks2much]

Just checked traps and nothing in them yet

 

[posey]

I can't offer suggestions only solace. I lost a 6 week old silkie this week to fire ants. She was my fav so I understand how horrible this must be for you. I pray that the culpret is caught and that the rest of your flock will be safe.
Good trapping,
Posey

 

[lovemychicks2much]

Thank you it is hard but even harder on the kids i have a 2 year old and 10 year old and they was their babies

 

[rufus]

Sprinkle flour around your coop, and then send us a picture of the foot prints. My money is on raccoon.

Rufus